October 12, (THEWILL) – Karim Benzema has opened up on his surprising decision to join Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad during the summer transfer window. The 35-year-old was expected to extend his stay at Real Madrid after last season. However, he opted for a lucrative £172 million per year contract with the Saudi Pro League champions instead.
In an interview with the league’s media channels, Benzema cited his Muslim faith as a major factor behind the move. “For a really long time, even before football, I always wanted to come here. Also, it’s a Muslim country. Straight away I felt this love for me,” he said. Despite only joining in the summer, the prolific striker has already made 11 appearances and scored 6 goals for his new club.
Benzema went on to explain that he was keen to help grow football in Saudi Arabia and be part of the league’s rapid development. A host of world-class players like Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante, and Sergej Milinković-Savić have also made big-money transfers to the Middle East recently.
The Frenchman admitted he has been pleasantly surprised by the standard of football in Saudi Arabia. “I’m really surprised because in Europe we don’t watch much football from here. Nowadays we are watching more and more because of the big names they signed,” he noted.
Overall, Benzema seems very happy with his surprise move to join Al Ittihad in the Middle East. The striker is clearly enjoying his time in Saudi Arabia both on and off the pitch. His goals have already helped fire his new club up the league table to fourth place as they look to battle to defend their title.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
