Lyon confirm Benzema deal

French club reach agreement with big-spending Real

Last updated: 1st July 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Lyon confirm Benzema deal

Benzema: Set for Real

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Lyon have announced that star striker Karim Benzema is to become the latest player to join Real Madrid.

The French forward had been linked with Manchester United, but big-spending Real - who have already captured Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo in record deals - have won the race.

Lyon have said the transfer will be worth at least £30million as new Bernabeu president Florentino Perez continues to build a new era of 'galacticos'.

A statement on the French club's official website said: "Lyon announces the agreement with Real Madrid of the transfer of international attacker Karim Benzema for a net minimum value of €35m.

"It will also be possible to add various no-claims bonuses related to athletic performances, allowing the deal to reach a maximum amount €41m."

Preference

It was thought that Benzema would remain at Lyon for one more season in order to concentrate on the 2010 World Cup.

However, the Ligue 1 outfit have announced that the attacker told the club's hierarchy that he wanted to join Real, who he preferred to United, this summer.

The statement continued: "A few days ago, Karim Benzema informed president Jean Michel Aulas of his wish to join Madrid, which has always been his preference after Lyon, quicker than it was initially considered.

"The player wished to seize the opportunity that was offered to him by Real, which was to be one of the major elements of the club's new, ambitious policy built around some of the largest players in the world.

"Lyon accepted the decision of Karim Benzema and negotiated the conditions of a transfer which satisfy the various elements.

"The club wishes Karim the greatest success with Real Madrid."

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Comments (33)

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Lewis Malone (Arsenal fan) says...

Me and the lads have just agreed that nobody is allowed to be Real Madrid on Pro Evo!!

Posted 07:47 2nd July 2009

Kevin F (Manchester United fan) says...

Clearly players like Benzema are taking the easy way out by moving to spain instead of the premier league. Playing in England under sir Alex Ferguson wudve been d best decision to help Benzema develop. He also wud thrive alongside rooney nd Berbatov nd wud learn alot frm masters like scholes nd Giggs. Looks like theres no stoppin Real madrid frm stealing all the talent at d moment.

Posted 07:37 2nd July 2009

Thom Munayi (Manchester United fan) says...

I blame Sir Alex and his team on Man United losing out on Benzema especially to losing him to Real. They were just too slow to act. They should have focused on Benzema while Madrid were after Ronaldo and Kaka. It's a big shame we lose out on a future Zinedine Zidane. I just can't believe they were not aggressive enough. We have no hope of winning the champions league...

Posted 07:34 2nd July 2009

Marco Saurez (Manchester United fan) says...

United would've made him a better player like the did with Ronaldo...Joining Real is going to hurt his career(fantastic player though)

Posted 07:17 2nd July 2009

Mike Ryan says...

Man United should get Huntelaar on the cheap from Madrid , offer them £8 Mill , Aquero from Atletico for £30 Mill, couple of top midfield players and they won't miss Ronaldo or Tevez

Posted 07:15 2nd July 2009

Bob Murphy (Chelsea fan) says...

This means all of the dutch guys are GONE.

Posted 03:36 2nd July 2009

Jon Williams says...

Ah well another target missed. Cmon Fergie. Gotta be Aguero now get him before Real Madrid get him! Also try David Villa, he may say no but what the hell. Or Torres lol! Can i also say im baffled as to how real Madrid have the ability to bid so much for players. It was only a year ago their massive debts were published and there is now way they have been cleared yet. Some sort of limit needs to be installed! They are saying image rights and player shirt sales will cover costs but thats just rubbish. How much is it they have spent so far...........?

Posted 01:20 2nd July 2009

Paul Ready (Arsenal fan) says...

Madness! Perez is playing real life Football Manager. I'm ensuring I get tickets to ''El Classico'' this forth coming season! My question is who's next? Ribery? Alonso? Fabregas?

Posted 00:45 2nd July 2009

Sam Hall (Manchester United fan) says...

i hope this means united will now buy villa!!! losing ronaldo and tevez and replacing them with valencia is not good!

Posted 00:38 2nd July 2009

Laila Smith (Manchester United fan) says...

if he prefers Real Madrid to United then good for him...personally i would like to know what Real are going to do with all these influx of player's.....they're spending too much and i foresee a repeat of the galactico era all over again....It will certainly be interesting to see how they do this season....and if they can outclass barcalona.....with all of the big spending and new arrivals many of these big name's will surely be disappointed and seated on the bench for an awfully long time!!! There's bound to be locker room feud's and bruised ego's....good luck!!

Posted 00:06 2nd July 2009

Andy L (Manchester United fan) says...

I thought when i saw Benzema a couple of years ago against united that he looked quality and always thought that if Ronaldo/.Tevez were to go he would be one of the direct replacements. As a united fan im gutted as i genuinely dont know who will be able to fill the void left, especially as Villa has expressed his desire to stay in Spain. I don't think Ribery will be worth any were near the money required for Bayern to sell. United will buy players but i currently make liverpool favourites for the league assumin no exits/injuries. We need a genuine striker for next year now and im still left with the question as why the hell did we not push torres through the year prior to his arrival at Liverpool. I think what is interesting is the fact the all the best players in the world seemed destined for madrid and spain despite the obvious strength of the premier league. Why is this? its because they are all from warmer climates with cultures more similar to their own. On a leaving note i can only see the madrid/spain effect having a positive impact on the english national team in the long run as it appears evident that despite the millions within our foriegn owened clubs we are unable to attract the worlds best players when in a direct battle with the spanish giants. As such we will have to develop more and more British world class players akin to rooney and gerrard for our teams to prosper in europe for years to come.

Posted 23:31 1st July 2009

Tom Moore (Manchester United fan) says...

Those who go to Real, ruin their career :) good luck with tryin to be successul now :) why is football all about money now.. its runied it.

Posted 22:54 1st July 2009

Alex Fergusonnn (Manchester United fan) says...

That is why Man Utd can never do business with Lyon it is like they constantly strain relations and try to block our progress. They make public our interest and then negotiate with others, they did it with Juniniho, Essien and now Benzema... But as chelsea found out in Robben you bite fergies hand at your own peril its time to rebuild and get behind the team.

Posted 22:47 1st July 2009

Dave Leighton (Derby County fan) says...

Game over. Premier league euro dominance is over - return of the galaticos and I hate to say that. I dont know why but Spain or rather Real seems to be most attractive to all the top players!

Posted 22:38 1st July 2009

Richie Grant (West Ham United fan) says...

What a blow for United. They should have gone in earlier! I watched some footage on Utube of Douglas, (The Brazilian being linked with united) and I think he will be a real world star. United should capture him before they miss out on another transfare target. He would be a ready made replacement for Ronaldo. Remember what happened with Ronaldinho? They need to get him whilst the goings good.

Posted 22:17 1st July 2009

Stewart Ingham (Manchester United fan) says...

Well they have done it again,another galacticos has joined that's know the best player in the premiership,serie A and ligue 1 and a cost of £170million and can someone tell me who is ruining football now its not the richest club in the world MAN CITY but when they tried the whole world come down on then but not a word now from blatter or platini is this because its not an ENGLISH club doing it and they are hoping that this will stop us from dominating Europe like we have done for the last 5 years...!!!!!

Posted 22:16 1st July 2009

A Heathcote (Manchester United fan) says...

Nice one fergie. We should have had this one tied up, while Real were messing about with Villa, weeks ago when we knew Ronny was going. We could have had Kaka too but you're off sunning yourself instead. We've ended up with Antonio Valencia who has the same style as Darius Vassell and aside from Rooney, not one person in the squad who will score more than 10-15 goals. We have no goal scoring midfielders, no goal scoring attackers. Ribery is another one we've messed about and not bothered with. I'd love to know who you think we might be signing now fergie.... looks like we've missed the boat with everyone. Unless we sign someone with some flair in midfield and can score goals and someone who can score goals upfront we have no chance this year and can see us dropping out of the top four soon. Arsenal are in better shape than us and all of the players we should havbe been signing we have dragged our heels over. What a joke. I'm off to watch city next year to see Tevez....... somebody else we dragged our heels over and messed about!!!!

Posted 22:08 1st July 2009

Astro Faes (Manchester United fan) says...

When will this end?! And how on earth are real obtaining this immediate capital? There's a dearth of world class talent around now with Real snapping it all up. Maybe we should sign Ruud back from them!

Posted 22:01 1st July 2009

Tom Smith (Manchester United fan) says...

Another talented player who will waste away at madrid. now hopefully we can sign eitther villa or argeuro

Posted 21:53 1st July 2009

Mr P (Manchester United fan) says...

This is getting ridiculous, how much can one team spend in one year? I know a lot of Man U haters will say that we started it (and were followed by Chelski) by spending large amounts on players and offering large wages (which is just part and parcel of supply and demand BTW) but I cannot remember any time when so much has been spent on multiple players in one closed season (£166m and they¿ve still to address that awful defence). At least when we¿ve done it before it¿s been one main addition at a time. Don¿t get me wrong, I have no problem in them signing Ronaldo (as he was always going to go) and even Kaka, but adding Benzema as well, why not just spend £1bn on the full Barcelona team? At least this may guarantee them some success! I am 100% sure if this was done by any English team Platini and Blatter would be spitting feathers ¿cap this and cap that..., England is ruining football...¿ but nah they¿ll turn a blind eye to Perez, let¿s not forget how he funded the last Galactico¿s spending spree ¿ getting the government to ¿bend¿ the green belt rules so Madrid can sell their old training ground back to him so he could develop it all at a nice little profit. If this was done in England, Perez would have been locked up for fraud. Oi Gordon, sell Fergie Tatton Park so he can turn it into a skyscraper... Come on Madrid, leave some of the players for someone else... Fergie, get the cheque book out for Aguero before he ends up in white next season.

Posted 21:47 1st July 2009
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