As per a specialist’s opinion, Chelsea could potentially permit Benzema to join their ranks, but the probability of this European transfer taking place is higher.

French football expert Jonathan Johnson has provided some analysis on the situation surrounding Karim Benzema, who seems to be on the brink of departing Al Ittihad, a club competing in the Saudi Pro League, with the intention of making a return to Europe.

According to Johnson, confirming earlier reports from his Daily Briefing colleague Fabrizio Romano, the seasoned forward, who departed Real Madrid for Saudi Arabia in the summer, seems to be facing tension with Al Ittihad. Romano’s assertions were previously validated by Johnson.

In an exclusive interview with CaughtOffside for his recent feature in the Daily Briefing, Johnson suggested that Benzema could still be an enticing option for clubs like Chelsea. However, he believes a more probable scenario is Benzema returning to Lyon, his former club.

Benzema initiated his professional career at Lyon before making a significant move to Real Madrid at a young age. Spending the majority of his career at the Bernabeu, he became a club legend with over 350 goals and numerous honors, including five Champions League titles. Johnson corroborated earlier reports from Romano, stating that the experienced forward, now in Saudi Arabia, seems to be in a precarious situation with Al Ittihad. Romano’s reports, confirmed by Johnson, were based on information provided in the past.

As per Johnson’s exclusive interview with CaughtOffside for his recent piece in the Daily Briefing, he suggests that Benzema could still be an attractive option for clubs such as Chelsea, as stated in the context of the Daily Briefing. Nevertheless, Johnson leans towards the belief that Benzema’s most probable course of action would be a return to Lyon, his former club.

Initiating his professional career with Lyon, Benzema made a significant move to Real Madrid at a young age and is currently playing for the club. Spending the majority of his career at the Bernabeu, he achieved legendary status by scoring over 350 goals across all competitions and securing multiple major accolades, including five Champions League titles.

Despite only a few months passing since his transfer from Real Madrid to Al Ittihad, speculation has risen that Karim Benzema might be considering leaving the club. Being part of the Saudi Pro League project alongside other players, such as Jordan Henderson’s move from Al Ettifaq to Ajax, Benzema’s status at his current club is currently precarious, as highlighted by Fabrizio Romano. The challenging circumstances in Saudi Arabia have led to rumors of Chelsea exploring the option of securing the experienced forward on loan, a possibility Johnson elaborates on.

Despite the ongoing speculation about Benzema’s interest in joining the Premier League, I see an increasing possibility that he might consider a short-term return to Lyon, his former club, with the aim of aiding Lyon in their current struggle for survival in Ligue 1.

“If he is dissatisfied with his situation at Al Ittihad, there could be a possibility, as demonstrated with Henderson, for him to find a way out of his arrangement there. This is a factor that should be taken into consideration. Given that Saudi Arabia has recently embarked on this new initiative, the fact that several notable individuals are already contemplating a return to Europe raises concerns for the country.

I’m uncertain whether Benzema will maintain the same level of performance we witnessed during his time at Real Madrid. Injuries were already a concern there, and that hasn’t changed. However, he still possesses the quality that I can envision major clubs like Chelsea being willing to give him an opportunity.

“He will have to make a strategic decision regarding his next move, and that’s why I believe a return to Lyon would be something worth monitoring — he has the potential to become a true inspirational figure there. A return to Europe within the next few weeks would not be surprising to me.”