Professor Yasser Al-Mishal, President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, made important statements to Al-Midan, in which he settled the controversy surrounding the legality of the potential negotiations between Al-Hilal Club and French star Karim Benzema, the current player of Al-Ittihad Club, for a transfer during the winter transfer period.
In response to inquiries, Al-Musahal confirmed that the approved international regulations are clear on this matter, stating, “According to the regulations, any player entering the final six months of his contract is entitled to negotiate and sign with any other club, regardless of its name .” He further clarified the Saudi Federation’s position, adding, “I am not aware of the details of Benzema’s contract with Al-Hilal, and the Saudi Football Federation has no direct involvement in recruitment and contracting programs; these fall under the purview of the relevant authorities.”
Background and context of the event in the Saudi League
These speculations come amidst a historic transformation of the Saudi Professional League, which has become a destination for the world's biggest football stars thanks to its ambitious recruitment project. Following Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr, the summer of 2023 saw the arrival of other big names such as Neymar to Al-Hilal, Sadio Mane to Al-Nassr, and Karim Benzema himself to Al-Ittihad, arriving from Real Madrid as the reigning Ballon d'Or winner. This context has made any move by a player of Benzema's stature within the Saudi league an event followed by the entire world.
The importance of the potential deal and its expected impact
The transfer of a player of Karim Benzema's caliber from Al-Ittihad, one of the giants of Jeddah, to their traditional rival Al-Hilal in Riyadh, would represent an earthquake in the local transfer market and have a wide-ranging impact:
- On the local level: If the deal goes through, it will ignite the historic rivalry between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad to unprecedented levels, and will redraw the balance of power in the Roshan League, as Al-Hilal will greatly enhance its formidable attacking force, while Al-Ittihad will lose its most prominent stars.
- At the regional and international levels, this move will once again highlight the immense financial power of the Saudi league and its ability not only to attract stars from Europe but also to facilitate major transfers between its clubs. It will also spark global discussions about the future of top players in the Kingdom and the impact of these deals on the global football landscape.
Although press reports indicated that Al-Hilal officials had finalized the deal for a season and a half, Al-Musahal’s statements put things in their legal framework without confirming or denying the negotiations themselves, leaving the door open to all possibilities in one of the most exciting stories of the winter transfer window.
