Karim Benzema insists he is STAYING at Real Madrid for one more season despite a £345million offer to play in Saudi Arabia… with the Spanish giants ready to make another move for PSG star Kylian Mbappe next summer
Karim Benzema told Marca he was staying at Real Madrid for one more season, giving the club time to sign Kylian Mbappe in 2024.
Real Madrid’s summer transfer plans appeared to have been thrown into chaos by suggestions from Saudi Arabia that Benzema was leaving the club.
The 35-year-old striker was set to sign a 12-month automatic renewal on his deal worth around €24m (£20.6m) per season.
But the player, who won 25 trophies at Real Madrid, had received a huge offer from Al Ittihad worth €200m (£171.5m) a season with add-ons for the promotion of the country’s bid for the 2030 World Cup.
The two-time Asian Champions League winners recently won the Pro League, finishing ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, and are desperate to capture their own Ballon d’Or winner.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has denied a report that he was about to announce his departure
Asked to address ties with Saudi Arabia, leader insists ‘reality is not the internet’
Benzema was honored by Marca in Madrid on Thursday and told reporters: “Am I going to stay?” Alright for now I’m here. It is the Internet that speaks and the Internet is not reality.
Madrid still fear that Sunday’s home game against Athletic Bilbao will be his last for the club.
Madrid intended to bring in Espanyol striker Joselu on loan from Espanyol this summer as a replacement for Benzema and then sign Kylian Mbappe from PSG at the end of the season.
And they would need an alternative to Benzema if he left with Liverpool’s Firmino seriously considered as a stopgap between a move for the French striker in a year.
Harry Kane is admired by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, but at 29, and likely to be valued at nearly €150m by Daniel Levy, the Spanish giants don’t see the England captain as a viable option .
But Marca claimed on Thursday night that the club’s second all-time top scorer had told Madrid he would see out his contract until 2024.
Benzema is one of the most successful players in Madrid history, with 24 pieces of silverware
Real Madrid ready to take another step for PSG star Kylian Mbappe next summer
