Sudden Stumble Threatens Benzema and Al-Hilal Deal Amid Transfer Market Confusion Sports

The negotiations for the transfer of French star Karim Benzema, captain of Al-Ittihad Club, to Al-Hilal have seen rapid developments in recent hours, with strong indications of a sudden setback in the deal, which was expected to be the most prominent in the current transfer period.

Sharp Disputes with Al-Ittihad Management

Benzema is under contract with Al-Ittihad until the summer of 2026, but escalating tension in the relationship between the two parties has led the player to decide to leave early. According to media reports, Benzema rejected the renewal offer presented by the club's management, which included not receiving a salary and only obtaining 100% of image rights, considering the offer unacceptable and unworthy of his career, informing the management of his desire not to continue with the team.

Al-Hilal's Entry and Then the Deal Stumbles

In light of this crisis, Al-Hilal's management entered into direct negotiations to acquire the French striker, before recent reports indicated a sudden setback in the discussions. Patrick Berger, a reporter for Sky Sports, mentioned via the platform 'X' that the transfer deal for Benzema to Al-Hilal is close to collapsing, in an unexpected development that reflects a state of confusion in the Saudi transfer market.

A Rich Career and Notable Absence

Benzema joined Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023 on a free transfer, following a historic 14-season career with Real Madrid, during which he won the UEFA Champions League title five times. The French star contributed to leading 'The Union' to win the Saudi league title last season, before recently missing the team's matches against Al-Fateh and Al-Najma amid his ongoing crisis with the management.

Other Pending Deals

In a related context, sports journalist Khalid Al-Qahtani pointed out that the setback in Benzema's deal is not the only case, noting that there are other pending deals, including N'Golo Kanté's transfer from Al-Ittihad to Turkish club Fenerbahçe, in exchange for Moroccan Youssef En-Nesyri. He confirmed that the contracts are under review, but a resolution is still absent at this time.

Ronaldo's Anger and Potential Implications

These developments coincided with reports of anger from Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al-Nassr, due to the ongoing negotiations between Al-Hilal and Benzema. It was indicated that 'CR7' decided to miss his team's match against Riyadh this evening, in protest against what he described as a lack of fairness and equity in the transfer market.