Karim Benzema, the Ballon d'Or winner for Real Madrid, has agreed to a three-year contract with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, which will begin in the upcoming season.

The announcement comes a day after coach Carlo Ancelotti stated there was "no doubt" Benzema's future lay in the Spanish city. Real Madrid had already announced the 35-year-old's departure from the team after 14 seasons.

If the transfer is approved, Benzema would join Cristiano Ronaldo, a former Real Madrid teammate, in the Gulf nation of Al Nassr, where the five-time world player of the year relocated from Manchester United after the 2014 World Cup.

“Benzema has signed a contract for his transfer to Al-Ittihad for a three-year period starting next season,” a Saudi club source told AFP.

After Messi, 35, played his final match for PSG over the weekend, senior representatives from another Saudi Arabian club, Al Hilal, have rushed to France to attempt and finalize a deal for him, according to two people with knowledge of the situation who spoke to AFP on Sunday.

To expedite the signing process, the Saudi group intends to meet with Messi's father and agent, Jorge.

Benzema moved from Lyon of the Ligue 1 to Madrid in 2009.

His 354 goals rank second on Real's all-time list of goal scorers; only Ronaldo has more. He played 648 times for Madrid.

With Madrid, he has won three Copa del Reys, four La Liga championships, and five Champions Leagues.

But following an excellent 2021–22 year in which he guided Real to Champions League victory and was awarded the Ballon d'Or, he struggled with injuries in the recently concluded campaign and was forced to sit out France's World Cup campaign in Qatar due to a thigh issue.

According to a person familiar with the talks, Saudi Arabia has compiled a list of "more than 10" players who have won the Champions League or the World Cup that it hopes to bring in to its league.