Yassine Benzia, Algerian international player, has turned down several offers to return to the French Ligue 2 this summer, considering it a step back after a successful season with the Azerbaijani club Qarabag.
Benzia made a remarkable comeback to the football scene thanks to the national team, scoring a hat-trick in two friendly matches against Bolivia and South Africa last March. His stunning goal against South Africa might even be in contention for the 2024 Puskás Award for the most beautiful goal of the year.
In an interview with the website matc.az, Benzia stated, “I’m having a solid season with Qarabag, having played over 40 matches and scored 13 goals with 10 assists in both domestic and European competitions. So, I don’t see myself playing in the French Ligue 2. Currently, I have two offers from the French Ligue 2, but I completely rejected the idea; I don’t want to go back to that level.”
The 29-year-old player, who was trained at Olympique Lyonnais, has previously played in Ligue 2 during the 2020-2021 season with Dijon before moving to Hatayspor in Turkey, and then to Qarabag.
Benzia aims to join a top club in Europe but remains under contract with Qarabag until 2025, with a market value not exceeding one million euros according to Transfermarkt. His refusal of offers from the French Ligue 2 reflects his higher ambitions in his career.
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