EXCL: Karim Benzema could return to his former club, Sacha Boey PSG latest, Jonathan David attracting interest, and more

Our man in France with the latest talking points in Ligue 1 and elsewhere.

Karim Benzema returning to Europe looks likely, and it could be to one of his former clubs

There has been growing talk of Karim Benzema possibly leaving Al Ittihad already, just a few months after his move from Real Madrid as one of a number of players joining the Saudi Pro League project. We’ve seen Jordan Henderson moving from Al Ettifaq to Ajax, and, as Fabrizio Romano notes, Benzema’s situation at his club is tense as well at the moment. Chelsea have been reported as exploring the option of signing the veteran forward on loan, and it’s no secret that things haven’t gone as hoped in Saudi.

Despite links with the Premier League, I think there’s the growing possibility that Benzema might consider a short-term move back to his former club Lyon, to help them out of their current predicament as they fight for survival in Ligue 1. If he’s not happy at Al Ittihad then, as we saw with Henderson, there might be a way for him to get out of his agreement there. It’s probably quite worrying for Saudi Arabia that so many of these star names are already considering returning to Europe after just a few months on board with this new project.