Real Madrid have placed a €60 million price-tag on star striker Karim Benzema, who has reportedly courted the interest of Napoli.
In yet another fabled transfer claim from Spanish news outlet Don Balon, Real Madrid have revealed their asking price for Karim Benzema. The French forward is expected to depart from Santiago Bernabeu this summer and club president Florentino Perez has already slapped a €60 million price-tag.
The Frenchman is not believed to be included in Julen Lopetegui’s plans next season as the European champions brace themselves for a major squad overhaul this summer. And following the footsteps of Portuguese sensation Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema could soon become the next Real Madrid player to be transferred to Serie A, with Napoli reportedly making strong waves.
However, Florentino Perez has made it very clear that he is not willing to negotiate for less than €60 million as he aims to fund the pending transfer of Thibaut Courtois along with two other Galacticos that are expected to arrive at the club in this summer transfer window.
Benzema, 30, has been a part of Los Blancos since 2009 when he joined the club in a big-money move from Lyon. After arriving at Spain, the Frenchman has featured in over 400 competitive games, during which he has netted almost 200 goals for the club.
His prolific scoring rate coupled with his ingenuity in the final third has helped the Spanish giants secure three back-to-back Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles along with two Spanish league cups. Therefore, Benzema is no stranger to success while also boasting an ample amount of experience in the highest level of football.
That being said, his future at the club is in serious doubt as Madrid prepare life without Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo. While Ronaldo has joined Juventus earlier this summer, Zidane made a shock exit just a week after helping Los Blancos secure three CL titles on the trot. As a result of which, Florentino Perez has decided to undergo a reformation this summer, which could include the departure of Karim Benzema.
A long list of clubs are believed to be interested in securing his services this summer, the chief among which are Napoli. The Italian giants gave Juventus a run for their money in the Serie A last term and the addition of Benzema could further boost their chances of having another go at the title in the forthcoming campaign.
It is understood that newly appointed head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who worked with Benzema during their time together at Real Madrid, is keen for a reunion with the Frenchman this summer.
With Belgian superstar Dries Mertens failing to shine in the recently concluded 2018 World Cup, Benzema’s presence will be a huge boon as far as their attack is concerned. The 30-year-old can be deployed as the lone number nine in Ancelotti’s favoured 4-2-3-1 formation with Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne being deployed out wide.
Even though splashing away a fee of €60 million might seem unconventional for a club like Napoli, bearing in mind that their all-time record signing was Gonzalo Higuain for €39 million, the Ciucciarelli do have money to burn after letting go of star midfielder Jorginho to Chelsea.
Thus, it will definitely be interesting to see how this transfer saga takes shape during the remainder of the summer transfer window.
