“The club is sure that the Frenchman will stay, although the attacker himself refrains from specifics.”, — write: football.ua
The club is sure that the Frenchman will stay, although the attacker himself refrains from specifics.
Karim Benzema Getty Images January 11, 2026, 12:34 p.m
Al Ittihad sporting director Ramon Planes expressed confidence that the team captain will extend the deal.
“He wants to stay, he wants to continue playing in Saudi Arabia and in Al Ittihad. He sees that there is a serious project here with good players,” said Planes in an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC.
The statement contradicts reports from French media (notably Foot Mercato) in December which claimed Benzema had not agreed to a new contract and was ready to leave Jeddah in the summer.
The attacker himself, who is in excellent form (he scored a hat-trick in 22 minutes in Friday’s match against Al-Kholod), has not revealed his cards yet.
“Now I have six months left on my contract. So I am fully focused on football, whether for these last six months or for the period after the extension of the contract,” the Frenchman discreetly commented on the situation.
Interestingly, against the background of a successful game (15 goals in 17 matches), Benzema did not rule out a sensational return to the French national team before the 2026 World Cup, if he receives a challenge from Didier Deschamps:
“We are talking about the World Cup. Of course, these are not the things where you have to say no,” Karim emphasized.