Real Madrid are reportedly planning to hand a contract extension to superstar striker Karim Benzema if they fail to sign Erling Haaland in the summer.
According to a report from Defensa Central, Real Madrid will offer a new contract to Karim Benzema if their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund hitman Erling Haaland does not yield the desired result in the summer.
Haaland is one of the most coveted commodities heading into the upcoming transfer window. The 21-year-old Norwegian international will be available for a fee of €75 million due to a release clause in his contract with the Black and Yellows. Real Madrid have shown strong interest in signing the striker, even though they have almost wrapped up the transfer of Kylian Mbappe on a Bosman move.
Apart from Real Madrid, Barcelona, too, are interested in Haaland. But, according to reports, Manchester City already have a deal in place to capture the services of Haaland from Dortmund. While Los Blancos are not throwing in the towel in pursuit of the former Red Bull Salzburg ace, they are ensuring that contingencies are in place in case they do not sign the 21-year-old.
Alexander Isak of Real Sociedad has been identified as a potential Plan B, but another option that Real Madrid are considering is extending the contract of superstar striker Karim Benzema.
The French hitman has been with Los Blancos for over a decade now and has been an exceptional player for the club. The 34-year-old has especially hit new heights in the past four years, emerging out of the shadows of former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo to establish himself as one of the best strikers in the game.
Benzema is enjoying a fine campaign with Real Madrid in 2021/22, having plundered 32 goals and 13 assists from 34 matches across all competitions. However, given his age, the Merengues are aware that they will eventually need to move on from the French international and had narrowed in on Haaland as the long-term replacement, especially with Benzema’s contract with the club expiring in 2023.
However, as per the report, if Real Madrid fail to sign Haaland in the summer, they will look to extend Benzema’s contract by another year and instead aim to invest the funds meant for the Dortmund striker to strengthen the roster in other positions.
Benzema has shown that he remains a force to be reckoned with despite his advancing age and can continue serving Real Madrid at this level. An extension, to that end, would be a good move as it would allow the club to assess their targets much more carefully before signing a replacement for the Frenchman.
