Newcastle United have undergone major changes during the summer following Eddie Howe’s departure and Matthias Jaissle’s appointment.
The Magpies remain unbeaten after their opening three Premier League matches, collecting five points under their new manager.
Newcastle drew 2–2 with Liverpool and Bournemouth, while they secured a 2–0 victory away against Tottenham Hotspur.
Their squad also changed considerably during the summer. Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes were among several established players to leave.
Meanwhile, Newcastle added several younger players, including Nico Gonzalez and Matias Fernandez-Pardo, as part of their rebuild.
However, an unexpected opportunity involving a far more experienced player has now emerged because of Newcastle’s ownership structure.
According to Sport Witness, Newcastle United could provide a possible route for free agent Karim Benzema if he wants to play outside Saudi Arabia again.
The 39-year-old is without a club after leaving Al-Hilal, but his wider contractual situation creates a significant obstacle to joining a European side.
RMC Sport reports that Lyon explored bringing Benzema back during the summer and made contact through an intermediary.
However, Benzema remains tied to Saudi Arabia through an ambassadorial agreement involving the country’s Public Investment Fund.
The agreement runs until 2030 and is worth tens of millions of euros annually. Benzema can reportedly retain those benefits by retiring or joining another Saudi Pro League club.
A conventional move outside Saudi Arabia would apparently invalidate the agreement.
Newcastle could represent an unusual possibility because the club are owned by the PIF, which is also involved in Benzema’s ambassadorial arrangement.
However, there is currently no suggestion that Newcastle are trying to sign Benzema. RMC Sport has also not reported any special Newcastle provision within his agreement.
Any move would therefore require the relevant parties to find a workable contractual arrangement.
For now, Newcastle merely represent a possible route rather than an active transfer destination for the former Al-Hilal striker.
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