Karim Benzema is keen on a short-term return to Europe just months after joining Al-Ittihad.
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has urged Erik ten Hag to bring former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema to the Premier League this month.
TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Tuesday that Benzema has made it clear to Al-Ittihad that he is keen on a short-term return to Europe in January, just months after arriving in Saudi Arabia on a big-money deal.
Benzema‘s representatives have held talks with Chelsea and Arsenal over a potential move, with the 36-year-old’s hometown club Lyon keen on re-signing the former France international.
Benzema’s wages are likely to be a major hurdle to any loan deal this month, but sources have informed TEAMtalk that a significant salary cut is not out of the question as he pursues a return to European football.
With TEAMtalk also revealing on Monday that Manchester United are actively looking to sell Antony this month – less than two years after the Brazilian arrived from Ajax in an £82million deal – Ten Hag is likely to add a forward before the February 1 transfer deadline.
Man Utd urged to explore Benzema loan option
The club have been heavily linked with a move for Bayern Munich’s Eric Choupo-Moting – but Cole, who scored 93 goals in 195 appearances for Manchester United between 1995 and 2001, has urged his former side to pounce on any opportunity to sign Benzema this month.
Asked if Man Utd should try to arrange a loan deal for Benzema, he told Betfred: “150%. I would sign him if it was only for a training session.
“I was very surprised when he left Real Madrid in the summer, but I understand why it happened. That money he’s earning in Saudi Arabia is generational wealth. It’s for his kids and his kids’ kids.
“When you’re at that age in your career and you’ve already won four LaLiga titles, five Champions League trophies and the Ballon d’Or, I can understand why he went to Saudi.
“Could he do it in the Premier League at his age? 100% considering the way he looks after himself.
“If Manchester United have the opportunity to sign him, then they should definitely try and make that happen.”
Benzema has been frequently linked with a move to Manchester United over the course of his illustrious career, with Sir Alex Ferguson revealing that he planned to spend the then-world-record fee received for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid in 2009 on Benzema.
However, Benzema joined Ronaldo in Madrid later that summer, arriving from Lyon in a €35m deal.
Ferguson said: “We tried to spend [the Ronaldo money] on Karim Benzema as, at 21, I felt that there would be an improvement there.
“He is tough, good physique, a good goal scoring record, so it was worth going a wee bit extra for him because of his age.
“But when it went to £42m, it was beyond his value. We went to £35m and I think that was fair.”
