Al-Ittihad, the club where Karim Benzema currently plays, recently made a large financial offer to Lille centre-back Chancel Mbemba for a contract covering the next five months. The Saudi club also submitted a transfer bid to Lille to acquire the final six months of the 31-year-old Congolese international's contract. The move was intended to strengthen Al-Ittihad for the Asian Champions League. However, because the club had already reached its foreign player quota, Mbemba would have been restricted to playing only in continental matches. The defender ultimately rejected the proposal, as the limited playing time was considered unacceptable because he is preparing for an intercontinental World Cup play-off tournament. Mbemba joined Lille in September 2025 and has made 9 appearances in Ligue 1 this season. He has 103 caps and 7 goals for DR Congo, and his current Transfermarkt market value is €2.50m.