Olympique Lyon reveals details of attempt to bring Benzema back to the club

Matthieu Louis-Jean, the sporting director of Olympique Lyon, has confirmed that there have indeed been communications during the summer transfer window to explore the possibility of Karim Benzema returning to the club where he grew up.

Loïs Openda stated that communication took place through an intermediary, but it did not develop into serious negotiations due to Karim Benzema's contractual situation linked to Saudi Arabia.

Olympique Lyon's sporting director stated: "It is true that there was communication with Karim this summer through an intermediary, but it did not go beyond that. For me, the deal was impossible due to his contractual situation. Karim is an exceptional player, but we did not try to go further because we knew how difficult the situation was."

Karim Benzema, 38 years old, was excited about the idea of returning to Olympique Lyon, and he was even prepared to play without a salary for a season, as revealed by L'Équipe. However, his contract as an ambassador for the Saudi Pro League until 2030 made a move to a club outside Saudi Arabia extremely difficult.

Meanwhile, Olympique Lyon have been working to strengthen their attack, ultimately opting to sign Loïs Openda instead of continuing their efforts to bring back Karim Benzema.

Thus, Karim Benzema's dream of returning to the Groupama Stadium remains just initial contacts, despite the player's desire and his strong emotional connection to his former club and the city of Lyon.