Forward Benzema joins Real Madrid from Lyon
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Olympique Lyonnais have confirmed they have received a substantial offer for star striker Karim Benzema but insist there is no agreement with Real Madrid or any other club.
French and Spanish media reported on Wednesday that a €35m deal had been agreed with Primera Liga giants Madrid but Lyon's director of communications insists that is not the case.
"We certainly did receive an offer of a sum appreciably superior to the sum that has been mentioned, but nothing says that it comes from Real,'' Olivier Blanc told L'Equipe. "There is no agreement with anyone.''
Earlier on Wednesday, French radio station RMC quoted Benzema's agent as saying only personal terms needed to be settled before a deal with Real was complete.
Meanwhile, Spanish newspapers Marca and AS both claimed the highly-rated 21-year-old would shortly join £80m Cristiano Ronaldo and £56m Kaka in Madrid as president Florentino Perez continues to build a new team of galacticos.
Benzema, who is due to return to training with Lyon on Thursday, has been linked with a number of Europe's top clubs, including Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
On Tuesday Bosnian newspaper Sportsport quoted Lyon forward Miralem Pjanic as saying Benzema was close to completing a £38m move to Premier League champions United, but Pjanic has since denied making those comments.
"I have not granted any interview to the media," the Bosnian international said. "I do not know any other answer to say to you because I said nothing."
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Pjanic: I never said Benzema would sign for United
Olympique Lyonnais forward Miralem Pjanic has denied saying that hot shot team-mate Karim Benzema was close to completing a £38m move to Premier League champions Manchester United.
A Bosnian newspaper quoted the 19-year old as saying United were leading the race to sign his hot shot colleague but Pjanic insists he never spoke to Sportsport.
"I have not granted any interview to the media," the Bosnian international said. "I do not know any other answer to say to you because I said nothing."
Benzema has been linked with a number of Europe's top clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea, and the 21-year-old is widley expected to leave Lyon in the transfer window.
On Tuesday Sportsport reported that Pjanic said: "Benzema is nearly gone to Old Trafford. The English club are willing to pay €45m (£38m) for him and it is just a question of the day when he will move to England."
Benzema, who has netted 43 goals in 112 league outings for Lyon, is a full France international and has already experienced Champions League football with the deposed Ligue 1 champions.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to have been handed £100m to spend in the transfer window, following the £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and the departure of striker Carlos Tevez.
The Reds completed a £16m deal to sign Wigan Athletic winger Antonio Valencia on Tuesday and are now out to sign a forward, having also decided not to take up an option on Carlos Tevez.
Lyon coach Claude Puel has admitted Les Gones would let Benzema join another club if the striker wished to do so and the bid was high enough.
"We know his importance at Olympique Lyonnais and his efficiency in our squad," Puel said on Tuesday. "He's an exceptional player, but we also know the financial figures of the club.
"We will evaluate the situation with him when he comes back - July 2 - what he wants to do, we'll listen to him.
"If he has any dreams of leaving we will discuss them with him if there are any concrete offers, which is not the case at the moment."
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Lyon have accepted an offer from Real Madrid for striker Karim Benzema.
Madrid and Manchester United have been vying for the services of the 21-year-old but Lyon continued to insist before today that the France international would remain at the Stade Gerland for another season at least.
However, Les Gones announced on their official website this afternoon that they have accepted a fee of at least 35m euros (£30m) from Madrid for the player, with performance clauses set to see that fee rise to 41m euros.
The statement on Lyon's website read: ''Lyon announce they have reached an agreement with Real Madrid on the details of the transfer of their international attacker Karim Benzema.
''A few days ago Karim Benzema informed the club president Jean Michel Aulas of his desire to move to the Madrid club, which had always been his favourite club after Lyon, earlier than he had foreseen.
''The player wanted to seize the opportunity which Real Madrid offered him to be one of the major elements in their new ambitious project based around the greatest players of the world.
''Lyon accepted Karim Benzema's decision and negotiated the conditions of a transfer which satisfies all the different parties. The club wishes Karim the greatest success with Real Madrid.''
Benzema will become Florentino Perez's fourth signing since returning to the Madrid presidency a month ago, following the arrivals of Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul Albiol. The deal will take Madrid's summer spending to over 200m euros.
The France forward came through the ranks with the French giants and burst onto the scene in the 2007-08 season with 31 goals in 51 games, a streak that saw him named Ligue 1 player of the year as well as top the league's scoring charts.
The last campaign was less impressive for both club and player, as Lyon ended the season without the Ligue 1 title for the first time in eight years, but Benzema nevertheless scored 23 goals in all competitions - an average of a goal every other game.
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RM is a brand that surpass Man Utd brand eh. They have the most CL winners.
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Lyon confirm Benzema deal
French club reach agreement with big-spending Real
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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Originally posted by marcteng:
RM is a brand that surpass Man Utd brand eh. They have the most CL winners.
Hmm lets see how they fair next season..a club full of CL winners may not make then the ultimate champions.. We shall see how they gel le..
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wth RM take everyone..suffer so much debts from financing..i seriously cant wait for RM to collapse..im hoping to see them fail
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Originally posted by Master -_-:
wth RM take everyone..suffer so much debts from financing..i seriously cant wait for RM to collapse..im hoping to see them fail
wont happen one lar. RM strategy is to sell kaka and ronaldo's jerseys and recoup their transfer fees in a few years time, not to mention image rights.
Spanish banks wont bankrupt RM and Barcelona one de, unlike Leeds, as they are the 2 marquee clubs in Spain banks cannot touch, untouchables
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Originally posted by Master -_-:
wth RM take everyone..suffer so much debts from financing..i seriously cant wait for RM to collapse..im hoping to see them fail
i SO want that to happen
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huh...karim gone...so..man utd buy who now?..aiyo..