Karim Benzema wants to leave Al-Ittihad. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Chelsea have registered their interest in signing Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad.
The 36-year-old has told the Saudi Arabian club that he wants to leave, just six months after moving to the middle-east.
Benzema was one of the first major names to move to Saudi Arabia, which helped convince the likes of Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte to join him.
But Benzema is unhappy with life in Saudi Arabia, and feels the league is not at the required standard.
He is said to be training alone after returning from holiday 17 days late, and has asked to leave.
Benzema is seeking a return to Europe (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
That’s alerted former club Lyon, who hope to sign him on a short-term deal.
But the Guardian say Chelsea have registered their interest.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lacked goals this term, with the burden falling on Nicolas Jackson.
The Argentine has made no secret of his desire to add a proven goalscorer and they don’t come much bigger than Benzema, who has 450 club career goals to his name.
While a return to Lyon appeals to Benzema, Chelsea’s financial muscle means they could easily outmaneuvre the Ligue 1 club.
Al-Ittihad will be seeking to recoup their outlay on Benzema, who is one of the best paid players in the region.
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