KEY POINTS

  • Man Utd are looking to sign a striker in January
  • Man Utd recently parted ways with Cristiano Ronaldo
  • Both Man Utd and PSG are looking to sign Karim Benzema

Manchester United are reportedly preparing a lucrative offer for Real Madrid star forward Karim Benzema.

Benzema, who is the current Ballon d'Or holder, is in the final months of his contract with Real Madrid. If an extension is not agreed upon soon, he'll be allowed to discuss a deal with any other club from Jan. 1.

Manchester United, having parted ways with Cristiano Ronaldo, are looking for a playmaker ahead of the January transfer window. They are willing to offer Benzema a "crazy" deal to lure him to Old Trafford, according to Sports Bibble. As of now, Erik ten Hag has just Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial as his options for the upfront position.

Benzema has been struck with quite a few injury issues this season and missed at least eight games for Real Madrid on different occasions due to muscle-related problems. The 34-year-old French forward is also out of the World Cup due to a problem with his left hip. He'll certainly be missed when the reigning champions take on Morocco in the second semi-final of the 2022 World Cup on Wednesday.

Keeping the injury angle aside, any club would want to land Benzema, who has had an amazing run in the last couple of campaigns. He scored an incredible 46 goals and provided 15 assists in 44 competitive matches last season and played a vital role in Real Madrid's win in La Liga and the Champions League. Even in the 2020-21 season, the former Lyon star contributed with 30 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions.

In the ongoing 2022-23 season, Benzema netted six goals and an assist in 12 matches for Real Madrid in all competitions.

France star Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the World Cup
AFP

Apart from Manchester United, even Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are preparing to approach Benzema in the upcoming transfer window, according to Yahoo Sports. A move to PSG would see Benzema become teammates with former El Classico rival Lionel Messi and compatriot Kylian Mbappe.

It was earlier reported that Real Madrid are seeing Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane as Benzema's long-term replacement at Santiago Bernabeu. Since Kane has a contract with Spurs until 2024, the North London club is expected to demand around $93 million, an amount that Los Blancos are not willing to spend on the English striker.

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