The Benzema Transfer Shock: Coaching Shake-Ups and a Saudi Exit
11 February 2026
The Benzema Exit Sparks Transfer Controversy
The sudden departure of French star Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad hours before the winter transfer window closed in 2026 continues to raise questions, especially since it came only one season after the club won the Roshen League and the King\'s Cup together.
Benzema moved to Al-Hilal after a crisis with the club\'s management; despite Fahd Sandi, the president, acknowledging financial benefits for Al-Ittihad from the surprise deal, he stressed it was a move outside the club\'s plans that altered future plans.
In discussions about Benzema\'s departure and the club\'s current state, sports presenter Mohammed Al-Sheikh said to Action Ya Dori that the exit of French coach Laurent Blanc was a turning point, gradually paving the way for Benzema\’s departure after the arrival of a different coach, Sergio Conceicao.
Sheikh said he agrees with president Fahd Sandi that the hardest decision is firing Blanc; the club has errors that began in pre-season.
We discovered a mistake from the start, and the fix does not have to come through firing.
He added that Benzema\’s shift from admirer to departure may reflect the coaching change; Blanc focuses on psychology, Conceicao on discipline, as Sandi noted.
He said Conceicao did not push Benzema out; the move may reflect clashes with Conceicao and stars.
There is talk of another clash with Abdulrahman Al-Aboud, so the overall situation at Al-Ittihad remains partly due to Conceicao.
And that, my friends, is why the transfer window often needs popcorn.
In football, drama clubs sometimes get relegated to supporting cast—just add coffee.
