Real Madrid's France forward Karim Benzema has signed a new contract at the club, which includes a €1 billion buyout clause according to local media reports.
Spanish and European champions Real announced on Wednesday that Benzema had signed a three-year extension to his current deal, which was due to expire at the end of next season, taking him through to 2021.
Benzema follows in the footsteps of team-mates Marcelo, Isco and Dani Carvajal, who have all penned new deals over the past two weeks containing clauses designed to avoid a repeat of the Neymar situation experienced by Barcelona in the close season.
Real’s rivals Barca were caught off-guard when Paris St Germain triggered the €222 million buyout clause in Neymar’s contract, which paved the way for the Brazil forward to move to the French club in August.
By law, contracts in Spain must feature a buyout clause and Madrid have moved to ensure their top players’ deals contain unattainably high clauses. AS reported that Benzema’s buyout clause now matches team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo’s.
Real were not immediately available to comment.
Benzema’s new deal means the forward, who is sidelined with a hamstring problem, is set to spend over a decade at Madrid, where he has been a regular first choice since joining in 2009.
He has made 247 Liga appearances for Real, netting 122 goals, and is the third-highest scorer currently active in the Champions League behind Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
