Shocking clause shackles Benzema: leaving Saudi Arabia to cost him 330 million riyals | Goal.com
The Karim Benzema affair is no longer merely a sporting matter between a player and his new club. It has turned into a complex financial equation that could force the French star to recalculate his position entirely. Behind the scenes sits another contract worth hundreds of millions, leaving him two choices and no third option: stay in Saudi Arabia or lose a fortune.
The newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat" has revealed intriguing details about Benzema's other contract, worth 23 million dollars annually, equivalent to 86.25 million Saudi riyals, running until 2030. Count the remaining value from next September until 30 June 2030 and it comes to around 88.2 million dollars, or nearly 330.6 million Saudi riyals.
The biggest surprise lies in a secret clause. It prevents Benzema from playing outside Saudi Arabia for the length of the deal. Move to any club beyond the Kingdom and feature for it, and the contract is cancelled on the spot, meaning a decision to leave the Roshn League could cost him more than 330 million riyals.
Sources explained that the contract is tied to promotional roles Benzema performs for Saudi football and its associated events, dating back to his arrival in the Kingdom with Al-Ittihad. Cristiano Ronaldo follows the very same path.
That clause leaves Benzema facing precise and entirely different calculations over his future, especially now his negotiations with Al-Hilal have stalled. Should his relationship with the leaders end, the French striker may be forced to hunt for another Saudi club, even on a lower deal than his current one at Al-Hilal, purely to protect his huge promotional contract running until 2030. The alternative is to reconsider and accept the Al-Hilal option.
On the pitch, "Asharq Al-Awsat" sources confirmed that Benzema so far refuses the idea of being registered only in Al-Hilal's Asian squad. Such a move would let him play in the AFC Champions League Elite, the King's Cup and the Saudi Super Cup, but not the Roshn League.
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Benzema, then, faces three paths and no fourth. He can agree with Al-Hilal to terminate the contract by mutual consent and move to another Saudi club. He can accept staying at Al-Hilal within the Asian squad only. Or he can leave the Kingdom, the costliest option of all, forfeiting more than 330 million riyals.
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