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After 14 years at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema joins Saudi champions Al-Ittihad

Photo: JAVIER SORIANO / AFP

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Benzema moves to Saudi Arabia

After Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema is another aging top player from Europe who moves to the Saudi Pro League. After 14 years and 25 titles with Real Madrid, the Frenchman is moving to Saudi champions Al-Ittihad. Initially, nothing was known about the agreed salary or the length of the contract.

The move appears to be part of a larger plan by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, which is funding the league and wants to make it more attractive internationally with big names. By the start of the season on 11 August, more prominent names are to follow. "More than ten" stars have already been offered, the AFP news agency learned from the kingdom – including Luka Modrić, N'Golo Kanté, Roberto Firmino and Hugo Lloris.

Other candidates are Sergio Ramos, Ángel Di María, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. Names that would have been unthinkable in Saudi Arabia just a few months ago – until Ronaldo got the ball rolling with his move to Al-Nassr in January. The 37-year-old Portuguese signed for two and a half years, the deal is said to be worth more than 400 million euros.

Postecoglou becomes new Tottenham manager

Former Australian national team coach Ange Postecoglou will become the new team manager of English top club Tottenham Hotspur. As the Londoners announced, the 57-year-old signed a four-year contract until the summer of 2027. Postecoglou joins Spurs after two years with Scottish champions and cup winners Celtic, becoming the first Australian coach in the Premier League.

"He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the connection to the academy – everything that is important for our club," said club boss Daniel Levy. For Tottenham, this marks the end of the search for a coach that has been going on since parting ways with Antonio Conte on 26 March.

Under interim manager Ryan Mason, Tottenham finished last season in eighth place in the English Premier League. For Postecoglou, the post at Tottenham is the first in a top European league. Prior to his arrival in Scotland, he worked as a coach in Japan, Australia and Greece. From 2013 to 2017, Postecoglou was the Australian national coach and became Asian champion with his team in 2015.

AC Milan part ways with club icon Maldini

Paolo Maldini, who was most recently technical director at AC Milan, has been relieved of his post by the US owner, according to media reports. The reason for the expulsion was fundamentally different views on the future direction of the club. This was reported, among others, by the Milan newspapers »Gazzetta dello Sport« and »Corriere della Sera«.

Maldini and club owner Gerry Cardinale are said to have never harmonized particularly well since the investor's entry in 2022, it was said. Now the ex-professional is accused of a botched transfer phase last summer – the most important purchases traded Belgians Charles De Ketelaere and Divock Origi flopped. Defending champions Milan reached fourth place in the league and the semi-finals of the Champions League.

In addition to Maldini, sporting director Frederic Massara also had to go, it was said. Now only the official confirmation by Milan is pending. Actually, Maldini and Massara still have contracts until 2024. Maldini has played for the club since his school days and for the first team from 1985 to 2009. During that time, he won the Cup of Champions League five times and was champion seven times.

cf/sid/dpa