Real Madrid News
Real Madrid ‘closely studying’ the situation of 31-year-old Manchester City winger
A recent claim from the respected French journalist Nabil Djellit has relayed that Real Madrid are one of the two top European teams who are closely studying the situation of Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez.
Mahrez, 31, will enter the final year of his current Man City deal at the end of the season and despite that, the Cityzens have not held extension talks with the Algerian.
With 23 goals and seven assists across all competitions already, Mahrez has emerged as one of the most in-demand players, with the aforementioned source also crediting Paris Saint-Germain with an interest.
It is said that Mahrez has a profile that suits Real since Gareth Bale is certain to leave at the end of the season. Now, it’s not that the Welshman was anyway a big entity this season, but the arrival of Mahrez can potentially boost the attack line with Kylian Mbappe also supposedly on the move.
At PSG, however, the situation is pretty much straightforward. Angel Di Maria’s contract expires at the end of the season, and while the team does have an option to extend it for another year, he is most likely to leave anyway.
This is where Mahrez comes into the picture. There are reports that claims if there is indeed an offer from PSG, it will be significantly more than what the Algerian is earning at the Etihad.
Furthermore, at 31 years of age, this could well and truly be his last big contract. This is something that can work in the favour of both Real and PSG as it can actually force him to at least consider the upcoming offers.
At the same time, however, Mahrez’s personal preference has always been to commit his future with City. Additionally, even his manager, Pep Guardiola, does not want to lose one of his prized possessions.
Striking any deal though is not going to be as straightforward as it seems, but the parties involved are looking to establish a middle ground anyway.
Real Madrid News
U-turn? Benzema hints at Real Madrid stay during ceremony: “Reality is not the internet”
There has been a lot of talk around Karim Benzema’s situation over the course of the last week or so, with reports claiming that the Frenchman was on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it was reported that Benzema was joining Al Ittihad as part of an incredible deal worth nearly €200 million. The striker was also offered 100% of his image rights and advertising deals by the Saudi government.
Over the last day or so, it has been reported that the move is all but official at the moment, as Benzema has accepted the offer, and will soon inform Real Madrid about it.
Benzema was awarded the MARCA Leyenda awards for contribution to sports today, and speaking during it, he dropped a rather cryptic message about his future – one that says quite the opposite to what has been in the news recently.
“Speak to the fans? Speak about what? Why should I speak of the future if I’m in Madrid?”, Benzema said.
“It’s the internet speaking, and reality is not the internet,” he added.
This certainly falls away from the departure line for Benzema, who was reportedly already contemplating his life away from Madrid.
At first, though, he was hesitant about speaking about his future, saying, “Staying or leaving Real Madrid? At the moment, I’m here…we have a game on Saturday.”
He repeatedly talked about the fans, calling them the best in world football. He also said, “I know how much Real Madrid fans love me. I feel that when I’m on the pitch, I give my best for them, always.”
“I always say that we play with 11 on the pitch but also with a crucial factor, Real Madrid fans,” Benzema concluded.
