Nuno Espirito Santo wants Benzema out of Al-Ittihad

Former Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur manager and current boss of Al-Ittihad, Nuno Espirito Santo has reportedly told the club he does not want former Ballon d’Or winner, Karim Benzema in the squad.

According to sources, Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat has revealed there is a rift between the former Real Madrid star and Nuno.

From the reports, it is alleged that Nuno Espirito Santo does not want Benzema in the Al-Ittihad team because the Frenchman doesn’t fit into his tactical approach at the club, with the basic crux being Benzema is not the player Nuno wanted.

Further revelations suggest that Benzema had expressed a desire to assume the captaincy role at Al-Ittihad, only to be denied by Nuno, who instead entrusted the armband to club legend Romarinho.

Part of Benzema’s contract is reported to have included a clause that allows the Frenchman to be the club’s captain prior to his move to Al-Ittihad.

However, the situation seems to have taken a downward turn as Benzema reportedly finds himself in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable environment at Al-Ittihad, primarily due to what he perceives as unprofessional treatment from his coach.

Adding to the woes, the former Real Madrid captain is yet to score for his new club and under Nuno Espirito Santo, with Benzema only making one goal contribution via an assist in his opening game.

The Saudi Pro League is set to face Al-Riyadh in their upcoming fixture on Thursday, followed by a clash with Al-Wehda on Monday.