Real Madrid News
Benzema renews his Real Madrid contract, has asked club to strengthen attack
Real Madrid have triggered the automatic renewal in Karim Benzema’s contract, which will see him stay at the Santiago Bernabeu at least until June 2024, reports AS. The striker is aware that the next season will be his last at Madrid.
The end of his extended contract coincides with Endrick’s date of arrival, and while the Brazilian is expected to play an important role in the team from the get-go, Benzema has asked Madrid to reinforce their attack before that.
The former France international will remain linked to the club after his departure and potential retirement and has already started to play an influential role for Los Blancos off the pitch.
Benzema has been integral for Madrid for well over a decade at this point, scoring 90 Champions League goals in his career.
While he spent a large part of his career under the shadows of Cristiano Ronaldo, the 35-year-old has come to the fore as a superstar in his own right and a leader of the team over the past half a decade.
Benzema even won the Ballon d’Or last year after guiding Real Madrid to the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League trophy, scoring more than 40 goals across competitions in the process.
Benzema’s current contract with the Merengues was set to expire this summer. However, there were any doubts about his continuity due to the existence of the ‘Ballon d’Or clause’ in his deal which will automatically trigger a one-year extension.
And Benzema and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez have reached an agreement to activate that clause and prolong his stay at the Bernabeu for another year.
A legendary figure at the club, Benzema will be turning 36 years old later this year. And, even though Real Madrid will have Endrick at their disposal in 2024, it would be in their best interests to sign another accomplished striker to take over from the Frenchman.
The name of Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland has been doing the rounds, although the Cityzens are now working to extend his contract to stave off interest from the Merengues.
After three successive wins to start the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis came as a reality check for Real Madrid, who are still some way off matching the quality and consistency of Barcelona.
In light of the defeat, the Real Madrid coaching staff is analysing the best way to get the most out of the current setup.
More expected from Valverde
According to Defensa Central, one of the key conclusions drawn from the Betis defeat is that Real Madrid need greater involvement from Federico Valverde with the ball.
The Uruguayan has been deployed as the pivot, largely due to the absence of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni, but he is yet to make the step up in quality the team requires from that role.
While his effort and commitment are never in doubt, Mourinho and his staff, led by Sami Khedira, feel Valverde spends too much time positioned behind the opposition’s midfield line.
As a result, he fails to offer passing lanes to his teammates when they are under pressure, forcing them into hurried, aimless clearances rather than playing out cleanly from the back.
That concern has already been communicated to Valverde, who is still adapting to a position he has never truly played, making the challenge all the more difficult for him.
A collective issue to fix
However, the problem is not Valverde’s alone, with the coaching staff identifying a wider issue in the team’s structure.
Khedira has reportedly noted a certain passivity from the attackers in the videos of the match, particularly Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, when it comes to offering themselves as the ball transitions from midfield into attacking areas.
That lack of movement compounds the difficulties for the deeper midfielders.
Mourinho, for his part, remains unfazed by the departure of Rodri to Barcelona, insisting his squad has the tools to cope.
“I’m not missing Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality,” the Portuguese said, before adding that he backs his ability to improve players.
With a Champions League opener against Inter Milan on the horizon, Mourinho and his staff will be keen to iron out these issues quickly.
