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Karim Benzema is leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season and here are the factors responsible for his departure from the club.
Real Madrid have confirmed the departure of Karim Benzema from the club, putting an end to the week-long speculation regarding his future.
The 35-year-old striker will leave Real Madrid at the end of the current season when his contract expires on June 30, 2023.
Benzema is the most decorated player in Real Madrid’s history with 25 major trophies, the fifth-highest appearance maker with 648 games, the second-highest scorer for the club with 354 goals and also the reigning Ballon d’Or winner.
So why then would he leave all of these accolades behind, putting an unexpected end to his 14-year career with Real Madrid? Here are three compelling reasons.
Money talks
Multiple reports stated that Karim Benzema received a mega offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad which changed his mind about renewing with Real Madrid.
Transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano reports that the Saudi Arabian offer will see Benzema bag a salary worth over €100 million per year which will put his total earnings around €220 million over a two-year contract.
Other reports claim the offer on the table from Al-Ittihad is actually worth €200 million per year, similar to what Benzema’s former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo currently earns at Al-Nassr also in Saudi Arabia.
Whatever the real figure is will be made known when Benzema does sign for Al-Ittihad but what is certain is that he will earn significantly more than he currently does at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old’s current contract at Real Madrid was signed last summer as the club runs a policy of only offering one-year extensions to players above the age of 30.
His current earnings are estimated at over €1 million a month, and around €15 million per year, a small bag compared to what he is being offered in Saudi Arabia.
That significant jump in earnings is the main motivation for leaving Real Madrid to join Al-Ittihad, as it would be the biggest contract of Benzema’s career in his twilight years.
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Benzema leaving when the ovation is loudest
Another motivation for Benzema to leave Real Madrid beyond the crazy money he is being offered is the desire to leave on top.
The 35-year-old is the reigning Ballon d’Or holder and currently has 30 goals and six assists in 42 games for Real Madrid this season across all competitions.
He is still regarded as one of the best strikers in the world despite being at the twilight of his career and will leave the club with that reputation intact.
Although Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has reemphasised the importance of Benzema to his plans for next season multiple times, nobody can predict when the decline will hit because of old age.
At this moment, Benzema has a market value of €35 million on Transfermarkt which is likely to reduce with age and if he declines badly next season, he might not be able to attract such a high salary in the future.
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It is best to cash in right now and make more money than he has ever made before especially since he has achieved all there is to achieve with Real Madrid and has nothing else to prove.
Real Madrid’s rebuild
Beyond the reasons Benzema is leaving, there is also one major reason Real Madrid are willing to let the Frenchman go amicably and that is to renew the squad.
Real Madrid Football Club as an institution have managed to remain successful through the years because of their willingness to renew their squads, led by club president Florentino Perez.
Don Perez as he is affectionately called is known for his pragmatic approach to squad building, never letting sentiments stop him from moving on whoever has to go and replacing with whoever he believes will move the club forward.
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Los Blancos know that sooner or later, the 35-year-old would leave the club one way or another, so it is best to do it now, rip the bandaid off and start a new cycle with a younger superstar striker.
Names such as Victor Osimhen, Harry Kane, Dusan Vlahovic etc have been mentioned as the targets for Real Madrid going forward and it remains to be seen who they do sign this summer.
What we do know is that they have decided to forgo perhaps one or two more good seasons of Karim Benzema to make way for their new number for the foreseeable future.
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