With all the drama surrounding Karim Benzema of late, there have been some strong insinuations that he could sent out on loan, at least temporarily, for the rest of the season, and Manchester United have been brought into the mix.
That comes courtesy of L’Equipe on Wednesday, who have a big article covering the former France international’s situation, and look at what could happen in the last week of the transfer window.
With a move to Lyon and Real Madrid out of the question, there is only one league where clubs can afford him, meaning the Premier League, which is why Manchester United are mentioned, since they could use an extra striker in their squad.
They explain that maybe Chelsea, but ‘especially Manchester United’ are potential options for the striker, with the latter having an apparent new ace up their sleeve.
They recall the fact Omar Berrada was recently appointed as the new CEO of the Old Trafford side, where he was poached from Manchester City.
They add that he is ‘capable of attracting’ Benzema to Manchester United, because he is ‘very close to the directors of PIF’, who own Al-Ittihad, the club where the French striker currently plays.
It’s worth stating they give no background as to how he has built such a strong relationship with the Newcastle owners, with the only logical links that we can think of being the sales of Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte to Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr respectively.
Furthermore, while the Red Devils could do with some help up top, bringing in a 36-year-old who has never played in the Premier League as help for the second half of the season, especially one who reportedly earns €200m net until 2025, isn’t what the new INEOS project will have in mind.
Add on top of this the fact that Benzema’s camp have ‘strongly denied’ the idea of the player leaving his club in January, and it looks very much a case of 2 + 2 being added together and 17 coming out on the other side.
