With the standard of his skill far beyond the Saudi league, a move back to Europe could be on the horizon for Karim Benzema, with Manchester United in the hunt for his signature. And one club legend believes that Erik ten Hag needs to pull out all the stops to bring the Frenchman to Old Trafford.
The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner has been in fine form since his move to Al-Ittihad. Exhibiting sublime skills and goal-scoring prowess, Benzema has mesmerised fans, hitting the back of the net on 12 occasions. Thus, with United desperately struggling in the finishing department, a player of the World Cup winner’s standard certainly wouldn’t go amiss.
Alas, while their threat up top is a huge issue, United will struggle to make any real damage in the January transfer window. Due to spending a whopping £180 million over the summer, financial fair play rules will inhibit them from going big over the next month. Instead, they’ll focus on loan deals and cut-price captures.
READ MORE: RUUD VAN NISTELROOY: TOP FIVE GOALS OF THE MANCHESTER UNITED LEGEND’S CAREER
Benzema’s contract in the Middle East lasts until 2026. Therefore, the odds of signing the icon for a figure anything short of extortionate is borderline impossible. However, a loan move could be on the cards. And one former United star is confident that a deal could be done.
Louis Saha wants Manchester United to sign Karim Benzema
With 42 United goals to his name, Louis Saha knows exactly what it takes to make it at the Theatre of Dreams. Therefore, we have to take his opinion very seriously.
In an interview with AS, he said: “Benzema would change United’s attack, and that’s exactly what they need now. He would definitely score goals and also ensure better team play. For now, it is just a dream, but Karim is still very professional.”
This isn’t the first time United have shown interest in Benzema. When the Premier League giants first lost Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009, they made their move for the gifted player and nearly secured his signature.
As per the Manchester Evening News, Sir Alex Ferguson explained: “We tried to spend [the Cristiano Ronaldo money] on Karim Benzema as, at 21, I felt that there would be an improvement there. He is tough, good physique, a good goal-scoring record, so it was worth going a wee bit extra for him because of his age.
“But when it went to £42m, it was beyond his value. We went to £35m, and I think that was fair.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty
