Man Utd: ‘Fantasy’ Benzema signing ‘explored’ with Ten Hag target absent from training camp
Manchester United are reportedly ‘exploring’ a move for Karim Benzema, and the striker is not expected to be on Al-Ittihad’s Dubai tour after failing to turn up to a training camp.
The Frenchman is a signing that countless managers have fantasised about over the course of his career. Given he scored 354 goals during his time with Real Madrid, every club in the world would have taken him if they could have gotten their hands on him.
For 14 years, that was not possible, but after Benzema racked up 648 appearances, five Champions League medals, countless top-scorer accolades and a Ballon d’Or, he moved from the Bernabeu to Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad.
He’s bagged 11 goals and five assists, but all is not plain sailing, with Marca reporting he failed to turn up for a training camp and looks set to be excluded from a tour to Dubai as a result.
Whether or not the two are connected, Benzema is now being targeted by Manchester United.
That’s according to journalist Javier Parra Pena, who states the Red Devils are ‘exploring’ a move for the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner.
It’s reported that United want Benzema on a six-month loan deal from Al-Ittihad. They’ve gotten the large contracts of Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho off the books for a short while, so might well be able to afford to pay the striker’s wages.
It’s unclear at this point whether the Saudi side’s stance on not taking him on their tour will lead them to banish him from the club, or if it’s just a short-term sanction for missing the training camp.
If they do want to let him go, though, they might allow United to take him on board until the end of the season.
If Erik ten Hag was able to get him through the door, he’d do what countless managers before him were not able to, and he has the backing of former United man Louis Saha, who recently advocated for the signing of Benzema.
“Benzema would change United’s attack, and that’s exactly what they need,” Saha said.
“He would score goals and ensure better team play. For now, it’s just a dream, but Karim is still very professional.”
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