The 38-year-old left Real Madrid as a free agent in the summer of 2023 to join Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia on a three-year contract, before switching to fellow Saudi club Al-Hilal in early February on a deal running to the summer of 2027. That move also proved short-lived, with Benzema and Al-Hilal parting ways at the end of August after the forward scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 16 competitive matches for the club.
Journalist Ilyes Kaddouri reported that Leverkusen and Benzema had held discussions over a possible transfer in recent days, a rumour that gathered further momentum after Benzema began following the German club on Instagram. Leverkusen's sporting director Simon Rolfes moved quickly to dismiss the speculation, however.
"Our squad is complete," Rolfes told German newspaper Bild, closing the door on any deal for the former Ballon d'Or winner.
Leverkusen's attacking options already include Patrik Schick, who is contracted until 2030, along with promising young forward Christian Kofane, while Victor Boniface continues his recovery from a serious knee injury that has kept him sidelined. That depth left Leverkusen with little incentive to pursue a high-profile, ageing free agent regardless of his pedigree.
Benzema has been without a club since his Al-Hilal exit, with reports of a possible return to boyhood club Olympique Lyonnais having previously come to nothing.
His representatives have reportedly reached out to former Real Madrid teammate Lucas Vazquez, now on Leverkusen's books, and ex-Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby to get their impressions of the club, though Rolfes' comments suggest any move to the Bundesliga is off the table for now, leaving Benzema's next destination still very much undecided.
The Frenchman left Real Madrid in 2023 after 14 years at the club, during which he won five Champions League titles and the Ballon d'Or in 2022.
His move to the Saudi Pro League also came with a lucrative ambassadorial role for the league itself, reportedly worth tens of millions of euros annually and running until 2030, a commitment that could complicate any return to a major European league regardless of his playing situation.