Karim Benzema has now reportedly made a strange request at Real Madrid after receiving a huge offer to join a club in Saudi Arabia.
According to reports, Benzema has informed the Spanish giants that he will accept an offer presented to him by Al Ittihad, but he has seemingly made a surprising request ahead of the move.
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As per Goal, the striker, whose current contract is set to expire at the end of this month, has been offered a mouthwatering €400 million (R4.2 billion), two-year deal by the Saudi Pro League side, one that would include him becoming an ambassador for the country's 2030 FIFA World Cup bid.
With Real believed to have not given the marksman any renewal, his departure is thus said to be imminent after a lengthy spell at the Santiago Bernabeu that began in August 2009.
However, the 2022 Ballon d'Or is said to have made a final request before leaving the LaLiga club.
According to The Athletic, Benzema has asked that a certain Los Blancos physio join him in the Middle East, with it understood the former Olympique Lyon star held a meeting with manager Carlo Ancelotti at the team's training ground on Wednesday.
It is further claimed that the ex-France attacker has discussed the potential move to Saudi Arabia with the physio, who remains unnamed, over the past few months, but it is not clear how Real feel about the request.
It is believed, though, that the Spanish giants will not stand in the striker's way should he decide to depart, and that some of his teammates have known for several weeks that he was considering a switch to the Gulf state.
Benzema is now likely to become the second Ballon d'Or winner to arrive in the Saudi Pro League after Cristiano Ronaldo's big-money move to Al Nassr at the turn of the year.
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It is understood that such high-profile signings are part of the country's plan to globalise their league and establish themselves as a footballing nation capable of hosting a World Cup in just over six years' time.
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