Karim Benzema’s future may lie with the Saudi club Al Ittihad. According to club insiders, the agreement with the French striker is nearing completion. It is now up to Benzema and Real Madrid to finalize the transfer.

Al Ittihad are the current Saudi league winners and are coached by Nuno Espirito Santo, who previously played for Deportivo, Osasuna, and Merida and also coached Valencia.

The Saudi authorities has been working for months to sign Benzema, and everything looks to imply that they have finally convinced him. Benzema has even chatted with Cristiano Ronaldo about the league and life in Spain. In theory, Benzema would sign a two-year contract for more than €100 million tax-free per season.

This afternoon, the Real Madrid No. 9 met with his agent in Madrid. His 14-year career as a Real Madrid player will come to an end as soon as his exit is finalized. He has appeared in 647 games for the club, scoring 353 goals and assisting on 165 others.