Sensational, Benzema close to farewell to Real Madrid: maxi-offer from Arabia

Karim Benzema is ready to leave Real Madrid. This he said yesterday to Carlo Ancelotti. Florentino Perez has already known this since last Friday and has leaked sincere pessimism on the subject. There will be a new meeting today in Valdebebas, and we’ll see if the president and the coach can convince the Frenchman to change his mind.

ANNOUNCEMENT SOON

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It won’t be easy, with the official farewell that could perhaps arrive this afternoon when the Marca colleagues will deliver the Marca Leyenda to Benzema. After 14 seasons full of triumphs, the Frenchman was tempted and almost seduced by a fantastic offer from Saudi Arabia: Al Ittihad sent him a net offer of 100 million euros per season, for two years. Mountains of money to leave football that he counts at 35 and a half.

RIGHT TO DECIDE

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And Benzema’s contract expires on June 30 and obviously Real Madrid has given him carte blanche: the decision whether to stay or not is in his hands, because at the Casa Blanca they will never send him away, and if they could they would keep him for life. But he has earned the right to decide his own destiny.

25 TROPHIES

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Benzema arrived at the Bernabeu in 2009 and is about to leave after 14 exceptional seasons, first as Cristiano Ronaldo’s sidekick and then as conductor of Madrid’s offensive maneuver, a change that culminated in his conquest of the 2022 Ballon d’Or. Benzema in Madrid won 25 titles, including 5 Champions in the last 10 years and 4 Liga. He is the foreigner with the most matches in the history of Madrid, 647 games, and the second scorer, 353 goals, behind Cristiano Ronaldo.

IT NEEDS A REPLACEMENT

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Obviously Benzema’s farewell would force Madrid, which are about to spend at least 120 million for Bellingham, to look for a suitable replacement. Vinicius and Rodrygo would lose the pivot of their maneuver, and a big name is needed. It can’t be Mbappé, whom Madrid want to take for free next year, and obviously Haaland will never be released by City. There is a lot of talk about Harry Kane, a player who has always been liked by Florentino Perez, but watch out for a possible assault on Victor Osimhen.