Real Madrid News
Saudi Arabian giants improve their offer for Benzema, have accepted all his ‘requests’
According to journalists Rodrigo Faez and Julien Laurens, Saudi side Al Ittihad have improved their offer to sign Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema a few days back and to top it all, they have also accepted all his requests.
As reported before, Benzema is said to be close to leaving Real Madrid after receiving a two-year contract offer worth a mammoth €400 million from Al Ittihad. Interestingly enough, the journalists write that this offer was received by the Frenchman in January.
Over the course of the second half of the season, the 35-year-old came close to reaching an agreement with Real Madrid for another season, but the situation has changed in recent weeks. At the moment, although Madrid want him to continue, the forward is considering the Saudi offer.
There is a sense of pessimism within the Real Madrid team right now with regard to Benzema. Given the offers he has, Madrid are demanding a quick final response from the forward as his departure will affect Madrid’s summer transfer window.
Benzema’s exit will force Real Madrid to sign an out-an-out number 9. Names such as Harry Kane, Roberto Firmino, and Victor Osimhen have been put forward.
Still, it is said that the management will not spend a lot to replace the departing Frenchman mostly because they plan to go big in the summer of 2024 when the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland will be made available.
Lastly, while Madrid’s priority is to convince Benzema, they have started to look for alternatives, and it is said that they are in advance talks with Espanyol for the short-term signing of Joselu.
Everything hinges on what Benzema decides. If he is to leave, the team’s summer activity could be intense. If he does not, one can anyway expect Madrid to sign Joselu on a season-long loan.
One of the biggest positives for Real Madrid from the last season was the breakthrough of young midfielder Thiago Pitarch.
The 19-year-old La Fabrica prospect had been in the first-team dynamics since pre-season under Xabi Alonso, but finally got his senior debut under Alvaro Arbeloa at the turn of the year.
From that moment on, Pitarch did not look back at all, gaining prominence in the team and even starting important matches ahead of established players like Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos.
However, things have not gone as per plans for the teenager this season as he has yet to play a single minute of first-team football.
January loan no longer ruled out
As such, Diario AS now reports that Pitarch would consider leaving Real Madrid on loan during the January transfer window if his situation does not improve.
The teenage midfielder suffered an injury in pre-season which kept him sidelined for a few weeks, denying him an opportunity to start the season under Jose Mourinho.
By the time he returned, the Portuguese tactician had already identified his preferred hierarchy in midfield, with the likes of Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni and Camavinga firmly ahead in the pecking order.
A stark difference from his debut season
In his debut season, Pitarch ended with 16 first-team appearances for Real Madrid with two assists to his name.
In contrast, this term, the academy graduate has been called up to the matchday squad for five games by Mourinho this term, but has yet to play a single minute of football.
Given the situation, he used the international break to jump down to Castilla and play close to 250 minutes across three games, during which he also registered an assist.
The situation is far from ideal for a young talent who needs regular minutes to continue his development and build on his impressive breakthrough campaign.
As such, the possibility of a departure on loan in January could be considered, after Pitarch turned down offers in the summer to stay at Real Madrid.
A lot will depend on how things evolve in the next couple of months, but a temporary exit cannot be ruled out.
Gursharan Virdi
May 31, 2023 at 6:50 pm
Mbappe and Erling Haaland Obsession will be the downfall of Real Madrid if neither do sign which is more likely!