Karim Benzema admits Cristiano Ronaldo influenced move to Saudi Arabia | OneFootball

Karim Benzema has admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Saudi Arabia played a part in his decision to sign for Al Ittihad.

The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner made the surprise decision to leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, opting to join Al Ittihad on a lucrative three-year contract believed to worth around €200m per annum.

Speaking at his unveiling as an Al Ittihad player, Benzema revealed how former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo had influenced his decision to move to Saudi Arabia and that his presence exemplified the improvement of the game in the Middle East.

“Al Ittihad is a new challenge for me. It's a good league and there are many good players," Benzema said. "Cristiano Ronaldo is already here, he is a friend who shows that Saudi Arabia is starting to get ahead and I am here to win as I did in Europe”.

Benzema and Ronaldo enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid together, winning four UEFA Champions Leagues, two La Liga titles and three FIFA Club World Cups.

The French star is set to be the first of many big name players who are to join Saudi Arabian clubs during the 2023 summer transfer window. N'Golo Kante, Lionel Messi and David de Gea have all been heavily linked with a move to the Middle East as well, though the latter appears determined to continue his career at Manchester United.

One Premier League player who looks certain to be joining Ronaldo at Al Nassr is Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha. 90min has learned that the Ivorian is prepared to overlook a contract extension in south London worth over £200,000-a-week, as well as the offer of Champions League football from the likes of Marseille and Atletico Madrid, in order to take up a bumper pay day in Saudi Arabia.