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Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema reportedly had a word with former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo before deciding on a move to Saudi Arabia. The Frenchman has recently been linked with Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad but the side are yet to make the deal official.
As per reports in Diario AS, Benzema spoke to Ronaldo, who has been playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia since January this year, about the country and the league before accepting Al Ittihad's offer. The striker's contract with Los Blancos expires this summer and he will join the Saudi club as a free agent.
Benzema, along with some other top free agents, has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League over the last month. Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba are all being tracked by Saudi clubs as well and could move this summer.
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Ronaldo became the first high-profile player to move to the country after his Manchester United contract was terminated by mutual consent in November 2022. He joined Al Nassr on a massive €200 million a year contract but failed to lead them to the league title.
Benzema, meanwhile, is expected to earn less than his former Real Madrid teammate but will still be offered a bumper contract. His Saudi move will bring an end to his 14-year stay with Los Blancos, where he won five Champions League trophies and four league titles on top of a Ballon d'Or in 2022.
"Wait for the official announcement" - Saudi Minister of Sports on Messi and Benzema's potential move
Saudi Arabia's sports minister Abdelaziz Al-Faysal recently spoke about Messi and Beznema's potential move to the country. While the former has been linked with Al Hilal, the Frenchman is reportedly moving to Al Ittihad.
"Benzema and Messi to Saudi Arabia? Wait for the official announcements from the clubs. The clubs will announce in due time," he said (via Madrid Zone).
Messi's potential move to Saudi Arabia will add another chapter to this rivalry with Ronaldo. Multiple reports have claimed that the Argentine will become the world's highest-paid footballer if he accepts Al Hilal's offer.
