OffsAIde
·5 September 2026
Karim Benzema ‘to play for free’ at OL, but Saudi Pro League role blocks move
Karim Benzema ‘to play for free’ at OL, but Saudi Pro League role blocks move | OneFootball
In partnership with
Yahoo sports
A potential OL comeback for Karim Benzema this summer was derailed by his Saudi Pro League ambassador role.
L'Équipe reports that the 2022 Ballon d'Or showed interest in Lyon’s approach and was even ready to play for a year without salary.
OneFootball Videos
The French striker, 38, had been sidelined at Al-Hilal in favour of Aston Villa’s England forward Ollie Watkins, and was released by the Riyadh club.
Despite that exit, he remains an ambassador for the Saudi Pro League until 2030. He wants to honour that commitment, which prevents him signing in another country.
As a result, a return to his boyhood club has not materialised.
Source: Le Progres
“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”
View publisher imprint
MORE STORIES
Live
Keflavík0
Valur1
47'
WatchLive
Carrarese0
Empoli0
3'Watch- Sporting Kansas City II
St Louis CITY2
Watch - MNUFC2
Colorado Rapids 2
Watch - Los Angeles Football Club 2
Ventura County FC
Watch - San Jose Earthquakes II
Tacoma Defiance
Watch - Dynamo Kyiv
LNZ Cherkasy
Watch - 1. FC K'Lautern II
Barockstadt Fulda-Lehnerz
Watch - VfR Mannheim
Homburg
Watch - Veres Rivne
Zorya Luhansk
Watch - Cesena
Mantova
Watch - Juve Stabia
Pisa
Watch - Virtus Entella
Vicenza
Watch - Stjarnan
ÍBV
Watch - Thór
FH
Watch - ÍA
KR
Watch - Víkingur Reykjavík
Fram
Watch - KA
Breiðablik
Watch - FK Auda
Grobiņa
Watch - Epitsentr Kamianets-Podilskyi
Bukovyna
Watch
