Al-Ittihad boss Nuno Espirito Santo has told the club that Karim Benzema does not fit into his plans, a report has claimed.
The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner only joined the Saudi Pro League champions back in June, putting pen to paper on a three-year deal after a glittering 14-year career at Real Madrid.
However, Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat has claimed that there are tensions between Benzema and his manager.
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The report alleges that Nuno has told the Al-Ittihad hierarchy that the France international does not fit his style of play and that he never request the transfer.
The 35-year-old, who has won the Champions League five times, is also said to have asked for the captaincy, only for Nuno to turn down the request and hand the armband to club legend Romarinho.
Benzema allegedly agreed to be club skipper as part of his transfer negotiations with Al-Ittihad, who won the Saudi Pro League title under Nuno last season.
Benzema is reportedly “not comfortable” working under the current conditions at Al-Ittihad, after "being treated unprofessionally by his coach".
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Such tensions could even lead to the player’s shock exit, just two months after joining the team.
Benzema is one of four players to join the club from European teams this term, with N'Golo Kante, Fabinho and Jota also being signed by the club this summer.
Al-Ittihad started the domestic season with back-to-back wins over Al-Raed and Al-Ta'ee and are currently sitting at the Saudi Pro League summit.
While Benzema is yet to score in both games he managed to claim an assist in the season opener.
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Nuno’s side will return to action against Al-Riyadh on Thursday before coming up against Al-Wehda next Monday.
Benzema scored 354 goals in 648 games across his time at Real Madrid, claiming four La Liga titles in the process.
Moreover, he has also earned 97 caps for France, netting 37 times.
Topics: Football, Karim Benzema, Nuno Espirito Santo, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League
Chris Byfield