An unwanted man with 9 goals in 13 games
Karim Benzema arrived at Al-Hilal last February from Al-Ittihad, on a deal running until June 2027. Six months on, the Saudi press is painting him as a problem the club’s hierarchy wants off the books.
The numbers do not really back that up. Nine goals and five assists in 13 matches last season for a 38-year-old brought in mid-campaign looks more like a decent return than a flop.
The issue lies elsewhere. Al-Hilal finished last season empty-handed and want to reshape the squad. The real headache is the Saudi Pro League’s limit on foreign players. Every slot taken by an expensive senior figure is one less opening for a new arrival.
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The standoff is all about the final year of the contract
The move is nothing new. Al-Hilal reportedly tried this summer to place the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner with several newly promoted Saudi Pro League sides. Benzema knocked those options back every time.
His position is clear. He stays unless the club tears up the deal and pays him the final year of salary. In plain terms, Al-Hilal will have to write the cheque if they want the foreign-player spot back.
According to Saudi media, the club is now weighing up that negotiated exit, but only after signing a new centre-forward first. The order matters. Nobody ships out a striker before lining up the replacement.
Inzaghi defuses it, but the tension remains
The mood darkened even further on the opening day. Benzema scored a penalty in the 4-2 win over Al-Faisaly, then made his frustration clear when he was taken off in the 70th minute. The clip did the rounds across Saudi Arabia.
Simone Inzaghi tried to calm things down. “We talked about the match after it ended. It’s normal that he always wants to play every game, and I understand that because I was a striker too,” the Italian said. He defended the decision by pointing to Kader Mete’s arrival, “who represents the future of Al-Hilal”.
The line is meant to sound soothing. The local press, though, says the relationship between the two men is far from smooth. A striker who scores and still causes a fuss is rarely sorted out in one transfer window.
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