Jose Mourinho addresses Al-Ittihad star Karim Benzema's links to Benfica

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :September 28, 2025 at 8:29 PM

Modified at :September 28, 2025 at 8:29 PM

(Courtesy : Getty Images)

The French international has reportedly been courted by the Portuguese club.

According to Marca, Jose Mourinho is eager to reunite with former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema at SL Benfica.

Furthermore, Benzema has no intention of extending his current contract with Al-Ittihad, which expires in June 2026. Moreover, he is searching for a means to return to European football.

Before his career ends, the 37-year-old French striker is committed to making a comeback to the UEFA Champions League stage.

Benfica are the team that are most interested in Benzema. Since Mourinho took over as manager of the Portuguese powerhouses, Benzema has emerged as one of As Águias’ top targets.

Between 2010 and 2013, Benzema and Mourinho had spent three years together at Real Madrid. The Benfica boss would want to team up with the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, who lifted the Champions League five times and LaLiga four times while he was at Los Blancos.

Since Al-Ittihad are unwilling to allow him to depart easily, a free transfer in the summer of 2026 is now the most likely option.

Mourinho speaks on Benzema’s links to Benfica

“He’ll stay there; he’s been happy and won titles, and he’s in an enviable financial situation. When you leave top-level European football, at this age, for Saudi Arabia, I don’t think the goal is to return,” Mourinho explained.

His words directly addressed speculation that had grown in Portugal over the past week.

Karim Benzema backs Vinicius Jr to win Ballon d'Or 2024 — Karim Benzema has previously played under Mourinho during his time at Real Madrid.

The Saudi Pro League team is requesting at least €7/8 million (up to £7 million, $9.3 million) to even begin negotiations for the striker who helped them win the league title in the 2024–2025 season. Thus, a January move cannot be completely ruled out.

Benfica, meanwhile, are giving their approach some thought. With two goals in the team’s most recent 2-1 victory over Gil Vicente and seven goals overall in the first half of the season, current striker Vangelis Pavlidis is in excellent form.

In order to facilitate the transfer, Benzema is willing to lower his wages, and Mourinho thinks that a player of his calibre may revolutionise Benfica in Portugal and Europe.

Has Benzema played under Mourinho?

Yes, during his time at Madrid, he played under Mourinho.

Will the Frenchman join Benfica?

According to the reports, the striker wants to end his career in Europe.

Who is the coach of Benfica?

The special one – Jose Mourinho.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.