Real Madrid News
Real Madrid have already agreed new contract with superstar, only announcement missing
According to Cadena SER, Real Madrid have already closed an agreement with Karim Benzema over a new contract, with an official announcement the only thing pending at this moment.
The 35-year-old superstar is in the final year of his contract with Los Blancos and there has been no update on an extension for the current club captain as of yet.
It had previously been suggested that a one-year extension option would be automatically triggered after Benzema won the Ballon d’Or last year, but those claims have since been refuted.
The Frenchman, who announced his international retirement recently, has had problems with injuries of late and has looked well below his best level from last season.
Despite his age and recent fitness problems, Real Madrid, as per the report, want to renew the veteran centre-forward for two more years.
And, it is further stated that there is already an agreement between the club and the player over a new deal, with an announcement to confirm the same missing at this point in time.
If true, Benzema would remain a Real Madrid player until 2025. How that affects the club’s long-term plans would be interesting to see as Los Blancos will have Endrick at their disposal in 2024, while they also plan to sign Erling Haaland from Manchester City that year.
Having taken over as the club captain this season following Marcelo’s exit, Benzema has scored 11 goals in 16 matches across all competitions, four of which have been from the penalty spot.
Apart from Benzema, Real Madrid also wish to renew both Luka Modric and Toni Kroos by one more year each, although their situations are unclear at the moment.
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.
