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Manchester United are ‘exploring’ a stunning six-month loan deal for Karim Benzema, according to a report.
Benzema has been the subject of intense transfer speculation, with widespread reports linking him with a move away from Saudi Arabia.
The Al Ittihad star, who is reportedly trapped in Mauritius, is attracting interest from Man United, according to Javier Parra Pena.
It’s claimed the Red Devils are ‘exploring a six-month loan deal’ for the former Real Madrid forward.
Benzema, 36, has scored 15 goals in 24 appearances for the Saudi Pro League side since calling time on his career in Spain.
But recent reports claim the legendary player is seeking a move back to Europe, with Man United thought to be keeping tabs on his situation this month.
Man United’s reported pursuit of the Frenchman has been backed by Louis Saha, who has previously urged his old side to go after Benzema.
“He [Benzema] will shake up the United frontline and that’s what they need. He will definitely score goals and he will link up the play a lot better. It’s just a dream, but Karim is still a very professional guy, he’s the type of striker that Hojlund will learn from, but that’s just a fantasy,” he told Betting Odds
Karim Benzema ‘trapped in Mauritius due to a cyclone’ as he is excluded from Al Ittihad’s mid-season camp
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Karim Benzema has allegedly been left out of Al Ittihad’s mid-season training camp after repeatedly failing to report for duty, but his corner claims he was trapped by a cyclone.
The Mail Online report, via publications in Spain, that the Frenchman missed three training sessions ahead of the winter break while he was not present at Al Ittihad’s reunion on Friday.
He has subsequently been excluded from their list of players going to Dubai, but his camp is claiming he has been stuck in Mauritius due to a tropical storm.
Mauritius is currently under a cyclone class one (out of four) warning due to tropical storm Belal. Conditions are expected to intensify.
However, Spanish publication Marca claim that Benzema is nevertheless in his manager Marcelo Gallardo’s ‘bad books’
The Saudi Pro League side feels that the 26-year-old should have been back in Saudi Arabia by Friday instead of leaving his departure this late.
Benzema has struggled since moving to Saudi Arabia from Real Madrid this summer. While the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner has scored a respectable 15 goals in 24 games, the club sit seventh in the Saudi Pro League, having won the title only a year ago.
Al Ittihad are 25 points off league leaders Al-Hilal, and closer to the relegation zone than the league summit.
Benzema was booed by Al Ittihad supporters after a 5-2 defeat at home to Al Nassr in December when he was outshone by Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo, who each scored a brace.
The Frenchman then appeared to delete his Instagram account after widespread criticism.
Recent events could cause uncertainty over the future of the 36-year-old.
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Featured Image Credit: Saudi Pro League/Getty
Louis Saha has told Manchester United to dip into the transfer market and sign a star forward from the Saudi Pro League.
The January transfer window is almost a week old as Erik ten Hag mulls over whether to recruit new players ahead of the second half of the season.
Man United languish in eighth place in the Premier League table, having suffered their ninth league defeat of the season at the hands of Nottingham Forest last weekend.
This season, the Red Devils have scored a measly 22 league goals, with Rasmus Hojlund, who joined for £72 million last summer, scoring just once in the Premier League.
In an attempt to bolster their fire power up front, Saha thinks Ten Hag should pursue former Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema.
He’s spent just six months in Saudi Arabia following his move to Al Ittihad but has been linked with a move away.
Saha, who netted 42 goals for Man United during his time at the club, believes he would ‘shake up’ his old teams attack and reckons the 36-year-old would definitely score goals.
“He [Benzema] will shake up the United frontline and that’s what they need. He will definitely score goals and he will link up the play a lot better. It’s just a dream, but Karim is still a very professional guy, he’s the type of striker that Hojlund will learn from, but that’s just a fantasy,” he told Betting Odds.
Saha also shared his thoughts on the form of Hojlund, who opened his Premier League goal account in his side’s dramatic come-from-behind victory against Aston Villa last month.
“It’s the right club for him [Hojlund], but it’s unfair to give him the responsibility of the number nine position alone without an experienced player around him. You can have talented wingers or offensive midfielders, but being a striker is a different mentality,” he added.
“You need someone to show you runs in the box and I don’t think he can see them, the Premier League is a tough league for stuff like that. I played with [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy and [Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer. I had the chance to look at those legends and learn my runs and skills from them.”
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