Al-Hilal's Future Plans: Benzema vs. Watkins

Al-Hilal are already sketching out a future without Karim Benzema – but the Frenchman is not walking away quietly.

Benzema standoff stalls Watkins plan

Coach Inzaghi has made his choice clear. He wants Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins as the new spearhead of Al-Hilal’s attack next season, with the 30-year-old England international at the top of his list after a 21-goal haul in 55 games for Villa in the 2025-26 campaign, according to AS.

The club hierarchy see Watkins as the face of a younger, more dynamic side. They also see a problem: Benzema is still there, still under contract, and still occupying a valuable foreign player slot in a league governed by strict quota rules.

According to MaxiFoot, Al-Hilal are seriously considering cutting ties with the 38-year-old to refresh the squad. But Benzema is standing firm. The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner wants full payment of the final year of his deal before he will agree to a mutual termination. Until that demand is met, negotiations are frozen.

The stalemate has real consequences. Al-Hilal cannot formally move for Watkins until Benzema’s situation is resolved and his foreign player spot is freed. The entire pursuit of Villa’s striker is effectively on pause, waiting on a cheque and a signature.

Frustration on the pitch, diplomacy off it

The tension spilled into public view during Al-Hilal’s 4-2 win over Al Faisaly on Friday. Benzema found the net earlier in the game but cut an angry figure when Inzaghi hauled him off with 20 minutes to play, replacing him with youngster Kader Meite.

The reaction was impossible to miss. So was the symbolism. Meite, the academy forward, is being pushed as part of the club’s future; Benzema, the veteran star, is edging towards the exit.

Inzaghi tried to cool things down when he faced the media.

"We talked about that after the match," he said. "It's normal that he wants to play every match, and I understand him because I was a striker too. At that moment, we had another young player available, Kader Meite, who represents the future of the club. I was joking with Karim after the match, and I have a respectful relationship with him. He is not only a great champion, but also a very great professional."

The words were calm, respectful, almost protective of his senior forward. Behind the scenes, the mood is different. The same report states that Al-Hilal’s management remain intent on terminating Benzema’s contract as part of a broader plan to lower the squad’s age profile before next season.

A future built around Watkins – if Benzema steps aside

For Inzaghi, Watkins fits the blueprint. He is in his prime, proven in the Premier League, and brings the work rate and mobility that can reshape Al-Hilal’s front line. Club officials are ready to move quickly once the Benzema issue is settled.

That is the hinge on which the whole summer swings. If Benzema agrees to a termination package that satisfies his financial demands, Al-Hilal will immediately accelerate their push for Watkins. If he refuses, the Saudi giants are stuck: a star they are ready to move on from, and a top target they cannot yet touch.

For now, Benzema remains an Al-Hilal player, still scoring, still bristling at substitutions, and still at the centre of a contract battle that will define how bold – or how compromised – their rebuild really is.