The fall of Karim Benzema from one of the biggest marquee signings in the Saudi League to one of the worst signings for Al Ittihad is alarming. But, the move has not worked out well for either party. Now amid all the exit rumors, the manager of the club Marcelo Gallardo has prohibited the French forward from joining the group training in Dubai.

This indicates that the relationship between both parties is at an all-time low. The fans will hope that the controversies around their star striker do not affect the morale of the rest of the team.

The Karim Benzema saga takes yet another unwanted turn for the Al Ittihad fans

When former manager, Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked, there was hope that Karim Benzema would return to his goalscoring form. However, unfortunately for the Al Ittihad fans, this has not happened. Another problem also is that the French forward now wants to leave Saudi Arabia. There were reports of the club trying to keep him. However, the latest reports suggest the opposite. According to the recent updates, boss Marcelo Gallardo has refused to allow the 36-year-old to join the group training sessions in Dubai.

After the 5-2 loss against Al Nassr, Karim Benzema flew to Mauritius for a break. However, he could not return on time for the Dubai training sessions as he was stranded on the island due to a hurricane. Despite his return from holidays, Marcelo Gallardo does not see him in his plans. Benzema has scored nine goals and provided five assists this season in the league. However, the player also has no intentions to continue plying his trade in Saudi Arabia.

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It will be interesting what sort of a deal Al Ittihad asks from the interested clubs for Karim Benzema. However, as far as the wishes of the 36-year go, he wants to move back to France.

Karim Benzema Might Join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr as Al Ittihad Star Nears Exit in January

According to Fabrizio Romano, his former club Olympique Lyonnais is exploring a move. The move has been in the works for the last few months. However, the French giants are aware of the complicated deal. Karim Benzema will have to take a huge pay cut on his current salary. Lyon will also have to convince Al Ittihad to demand a smaller fee for a loan.

The seven-time Ligue 1 winners are currently 16th in the league table this season. Lyon will hope that with the potential return of their prodigal son, they can climb up the table in the second half of the season.

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Karim Benzema will also keep an eye on the interest of Premier League clubs should Lyon’s move not materialize. Which club will sign the French forward in the January transfer window? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.