Benzema set to leave Al Hilal after €200m spending spree leaves no room for him

Karim Benzema's time at Al Hilal is running out. The 38-year-old French striker, who in late August insisted he would stay at the Saudi club, is close to agreeing a termination of the contract that ties him to Simone Inzaghi's side until June 30. The trigger is a €205.87 million spending spree on new signings that leaves the former Real Madrid forward with almost no room in the squad.

Al Hilal has reinforced its attack with three top-level arrivals and an outlay that tops €200 million. The €70 million signing of Gabriel Martinelli follows the captures of Crysencio Summerville for €64.5 million and Ollie Watkins for €58.4 million. That attacking investment, combined with the eight foreign players already on the books, is pushing Benzema toward the exit.

• Al Hilal has spent €205.87 million on signings this transfer window.
• Summerville, Watkins and Martinelli are the star arrivals leaving Benzema without a place.
• The Saudi club and the French striker are negotiating the termination of a contract that runs until June 30.
• Benzema could join another Saudi club or retire, but will not return to Europe.
• His departure would end a spell at Al Hilal that began in February after leaving Al Ittihad.

The €205 million spending spree that closes the door on Benzema

Al Hilal has moved aggressively in the market. In addition to the €64.5 million paid to West Ham for Summerville and the €58.4 million that Watkins cost, the club coached by Simone Inzaghi is set to pay €70 million for Gabriel Martinelli. That bill reaches nearly €193 million among those three names alone, and climbs above €205 million with other smaller deals.

The €7.67 million invested in Mohammed Mahzari from Al Taawoun, the €3 million paid for Mohamed Al Sarnukh and the €2.3 million for Sabri Dahal, formerly of Al Fayha, complete the package of arrivals. Mohammed Al Owais and Abdullah Al Anazi, who joined on free transfers from Al Ula and Al Fateh respectively, round out a squad that has been strengthened without regard for cost.

The foreign player limit that punishes the French striker

Benzema's problem is one of registration quotas. The Saudi Pro League limits the number of foreign players each club can register, and the arrivals of Summerville, Watkins and Martinelli bring Al Hilal's total to eleven foreign players. That group includes names such as Yassine Bounou, Kalidou Koulibaly, Theo Hernandez, Rúben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, alongside the veteran French forward.

The excess of foreign registration slots leaves Benzema facing an unsustainable situation: he would be unable to feature in the Saudi Pro League and his involvement would be restricted to the Asian Champions League. Neither the club nor the player wants to prolong that scenario, which explains why both parties are now seeking a termination agreement.

Where Benzema could play next

Benzema signed a contract with the Saudi League that runs until 2030, which would allow him to continue competing in the country in different colors. Al Shabab has emerged as an option, and a hypothetical return to Al Ittihad, the club he played for before joining Al Hilal in February, is also gaining traction.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has laid out the scenarios the striker is weighing at this stage. Benzema will announce his decision soon, and the alternatives range from retirement to signing with another Saudi club. What he has ruled out is a return to Europe, including a second spell at Olympique de Lyon.

Benzema will announce his decision on his future soon; among the options are retirement or playing for another Saudi club. He will not return to Europe.

The legacy of a career nearing its end

Benzema has played 895 official matches across Olympique de Lyon, Real Madrid, Al Ittihad and Al Hilal, scoring 484 goals and providing 205 assists. His spell at Real Madrid between 2009 and 2023 established him as one of the best forwards in the club's history, capped by a Champions League title in 2022 with him as the undisputed talisman.

For France, he earned 97 caps and scored 37 goals. At 38, retirement is a real possibility, and a late move to Major League Soccer has not been ruled out either. What seems clear is that his adventure at Al Hilal is coming to an end barely six months after it began.

Frequently asked questions about Karim Benzema's future