Real Madrid and Karim Benzema have agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension with the striker now set to stay until 2021, past the Frenchman’s 33rd birthday. The improved terms will reportedly pay Benzema more than $9 million per season, and his release clause has been bumped to $1.2 billion, a figure essentially inserted to ward off PSG’s Qatari owners and Arsenal (ha!).
Benzema’s previous deal was set to expire in the summer of 2019, but the 29-year-old was keen to extend a stay that’s now entering its ninth season in the Spanish capital. “As a forward, when you’re at a club and you’re a first-team regular, you don’t need to look elsewhere — especially when you’re at a club like Real Madrid,” said Benzema.
Benzema registered 11 goals in 29 La Liga matches last season while missing time with a hamstring injury, but he was instrumental in helping the club to an unprecedented repeat performance in the UEFA Champions League by scoring seven goals in 16 matches.
Video Highlights : Supercopa Espana (Leg 2)
ㅤ#RealMadrid 2 (5-1) 0 #FCBarcelona
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Benzema 33" pic.twitter.com/FvZMO5vDXp— RMCFHQ | () (@RMCFHQ) August 17, 2017
Benzema helped Real triumph in the 2017 Supercopa de Espana, but he injured his hamstring during the club’s 1-1 draw with Levante back on September 9, ruling him out for up to a month.