JAKARTA - Karim Benzema feels he is not valued by seeing the contract extension offer given to him by Al Ittihad.
The 38-year-old French striker on Thursday, January 29, 2026, decided to resign from the main team squad and train on his own.
Without Benzema, Al Ittihad drew 2-2 against Al Fateh in a Saudi Pro League match. Benzema's position in the front line was replaced by Saleh Al-Shehri, who opened the score in the 25th minute for Al Ittihad. With the draw, Al Ittihad is in sixth place in the league standings.
Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, will be out of contract in the summer. Reporting on ESPN, the deal offered by the Saudi Pro League, which handles the contracts of major players at PIF (Public Investment Fund) owned clubs, essentially means he will play almost for free.
The former Real Madrid captain, who won 25 trophies with Los Blancos, including four LaLiga titles, three Copa del Rey, and five Champions League titles, has been performing well this season with eight goals in 14 league games. Now, he is considering all his options.
Apart from that, the French winger, Moussa Diaby, is rumored to be leaving the club. Midfielder N'Golo Kante is also very close to reaching an agreement with Fenerbahce.
Kante's contract will expire this summer, after three seasons in the Saudi Pro League. Negotiations between Al Ittihad and Fenerbahce regarding the transfer fee are ongoing as the Saudi club does not want to lose Kante with a free transfer status.
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