Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema’s career plans faced uncertainty after being suspended by Al-Ittihad for missing the team’s pre-season meeting.
The reason for his absence was an unforeseen delay in Mauritius, where a tropical storm with winds of 150 km/h stranded him. Amid this, speculation swirled about his next move, with PSG and his former club Lyon showing interest.
PSG considered a loan deal to capitalize on the situation, while Lyon hoped to bolster their survival fight by bringing Benzema back. However, the transfer excitement in France was short-lived, as Benzema is set to continue with Al-Ittihad.
The club, resuming their season on February 4 with a Cup match against Al-Faisaly, expects Benzema to participate. New sports director Ramon Planes’ first task will be resolving this situation. Benzema, under contract with Al-Ittihad until 2026, plans to join training in Dubai soon. Despite rumors of a mass return of European stars from abroad, Benzema will not be among those returning to Europe.
