Karim Benzema feels under "pressure" at his Saudi club Al-Ittihad and wants to leave "temporarily", a source close to the club told AFP on Tuesday.
Al-Ittihad offered to loan the French striker to another club in the Saudi Pro League but he has refused, the source added.
Benzema, 36, had a meeting with the club and coach Marcelo Gallardo that was described as bad-tempered.
He told the meeting "he doesn't feel he is able to give his best because of the current pressure at Ittihad".
Contacted by AFP, Benzema's entourage declined to comment.
Benzema, who was one of the highest-profile signings of the Saudi league last year, returned to the club 17 days late after its mid-season break.
He has since been training alone in Jeddah, according to the source, not allowed for "discipline reasons" to rejoin his team-mates who are at a preparation camp in Dubai.
Reports in England say Premier League club Chelsea would be keen to take the former Ballon d'Or winner on loan in the current transfer window.
However, a source close to the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns Al-Ittihad, said "there is no option that Benzema leaves this month".
Benzema has scored nine goals in the Saudi Pro League this season, but is well behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has netted 20 times for Al-Nassr.
Al-Ittihad are seventh in the division after three successive defeats. They have scored the fewest goals and conceded the most of the four teams owned by the PIF.
The league is due to resume on February 7.
