Real Madrid have confirmed the termination of 36-year-old striker Karim Benzema's contract one year ahead of schedule, allowing him to freely seek a new club.
"Benzema's career at Real Madrid is a model of professionalism, symbolizing the team's values," Real Madrid's official website wrote today, June 4th. "Therefore, Benzema has the right to decide his own future."
Karim Benzema at an awards ceremony in Spain on June 1, 2023. Photo: Reuters
Real Madrid will hold a farewell ceremony for Benzema on Tuesday, June 6th, at the club's headquarters, and president Florentino Perez will be in attendance.
Real Madrid will play their final La Liga match of the season against Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu today. Benzema is highly likely to play in this game, which will also be his last in a Real Madrid shirt. He has one year left on his contract but Real Madrid has allowed him to leave to find a new team in the summer of 2023.
Benzema is likely to accept an offer to join Al Ittihad, the reigning Saudi League champions. According to The Athletic , the club will pay Benzema $430 million over the next two seasons, equivalent to the fee Al Nassr paid Ronaldo. Benzema could potentially be a rival to Ronaldo in the Saudi League next season. Furthermore, Al Hilal has also offered Lionel Messi a contract equal to the combined salary of Ronaldo and Benzema. If Messi accepts the offer to join the Saudi League, the league will feature three of the world's top stars.
Benzema left Lyon to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 alongside stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Xabi Alonso. He scored 353 goals in 647 appearances for the Royal Club and is among the players holding the record for winning five Champions League titles. Benzema's peak was the 2021-2022 season, when he won his first Ballon d'Or.
With Benzema leaving Real, the team no longer has any players from the 2009 era. Last season, they also parted ways with Marcelo and Sergio Ramos.
Over the past two days, Real Madrid also announced the departures of midfielders Marco Asensio and Eden Hazard. Asensio has accepted an offer from PSG, while Hazard's future remains uncertain.
Hoang An
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