Karim Benzema will not return to OL despite interest this summer

Karim Benzema, the return to Lyon? It's no. But it wasn't totally far-fetched to believe it... As reported by L'Équipe, OL requested the 2022 Ballon d'or, trained at the club, this summer. Which Benzema left Al-Hilal in recent days and is currently free. Except that in fact, it is not completely. Still according to the sports daily, Benzema was ready to return to Lyon “without being paid, for love of OL and his hometown”. He was said to be “very enthusiastic about the idea.” At that time he was still linked to Al-Hilal.

This is no longer the case, but Karim Benzema has a contract as ambassador for the Saudi Arabian championship until 2030. Contract which prevents him from signing outside the Saudi kingdom... Karim Benzema, 38, scored 66 goals in 148 matches with OL before joining Real Madrid in 2009 (354 goals in 648 matches). He took charge of Saudi Arabia in 2023, first at Al-Ittihad (54 goals in 83 matches) then at Al-Hilal (10 goals in 16 matches).