Karim Benzema's move to Saudi Arabia obviously wasn't just about football. But he insisted it wasn't solely a question of money, either. Benzema explained that he was not only enamoured with the idea of living in a "Muslim country", but also intrigued by the prospect of a "new challenge" and a "new project".
"I really want to help Saudi football grow," the Al-Ittihad striker stated just over two weeks ago. "I wanted to be part of the story. That's the reason why I came here."
However, Benzema also claimed that while he was fully committed to transforming the Saudi Pro League into something truly special, "the most important thing for me will be to win trophies at the end of the season." Right now, though, achieving that goal is looking far more difficult than expected...