Despite being linked with an exit for the past dozen consecutive transfer windows, but today Karim Benzema has committed his long-term future to Real Madrid.
The 29-year-old French striker, who is currently in his ninth season at Los Blancos, has signed a new four-year contract extension thus tying him to the club beyond his 33rd birthday.
Real have emitted a short statement on their official website to confirm as much:
Real Madrid and Karim Benzema have agreed to extend the player’s contract, which is linked to the club until June 30, 2021.
It’s also being reported in Spain that Benzema’s salary has been bumped up to approximately €7.5million-a-year, while a release clause of ONE BILLION EUROS has also been added to the small print. Seriously.
Hanging around for the best part of a decade at a club where strikers tend to come and go like farts through silk pyjamas is no mean feat.
Still, the stage is now finally primed for Arsenal to pounce with a bargain freebie deal when Benzema’s contract dwindles in 2021, a good three years past his ‘best before’ date.