19 Dec 2014

Monster Deal: LFC to make €63m offer for 'World-Class' star; Balague confirms transfer status

Dubious reports this week claim that Liverpool are preparing a whopping £50m (€63m) January bid for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, but is there any truth to this particular transfer rumour?

According to The Telegraph this week:

"Liverpool are ready to make a £50 million bid for Karim Benzema, [who is] happy to leave the Bernabéu"

Liverpool have been linked with 26-year old Benzema a few times in the past.

OCT 2014: reports in the UK and Spain claimed that Rodgers held talks with Real Madrid over the possibility of signing Benzema.

JUL 2014: The Daily Mail reported: "Liverpool have an interest in Karim Benzema. He would cost £40million and wages of around £200,000 a week...but it is not a simple deal".

FEB 2014: Spanish newspaper Marca claimed that Rodgers sees Benzema as a 'realistic target' if the Reds qualify for the Champions League this season.

FEB 2014: One of Benzema's reps allegedly 'informed' Liverpool that the French international was open to leaving Madrid at the end of the season.

2013: Benzema linked with cash-plus-player, swap deal with Suarez.

2011: Real Madrid reportedly rejected an LFC bid for Benzema on transfer deadline day.

Despite the ongoing speculation, Spanish football pundit Guillem Balague emphatically insists that there is no possibility of Benzema signing for Liverpool. He told Sky Sports today:

"There is no way Benzema would go to Liverpool. It is impossible. He is essential to the Real team and a favourite of President Florentino Perez.”

So there you have it!

Liverpool clearly need another top class striker, but I'm not convinced Benzema is the answer. The Reds need a Suarez-like player; someone with skill and invention who can create things for himself, rather than having to (mostly) rely on service, and Benzema doesn't fit the bill, especially for £50m.

To be fair, Benzema has stepped it up at Madrid over the last 18 months, and Gerard Houllier insists that he is in a golden period of his career. In a recent interview with Journal du Dimanche, the former LFC boss enthused:

"Benzema has always been a goalscorer, but he has improved [working] with his team-mates. He is not just a poacher. He is good at assisting and mentally he is very strong. He is now falling into the category of world-class players"

It's all moot anyway. After the summer's underwhelming transfer business - and Rodgers' overall ineffective performance in the transfer market - I find it hard to believe that FSG will hand the manager £50m for one player.

Plus, With the greatest respect to LFC, it's highly unlikely that Benzema will swap the Bernabeu for Anfield. Madrid are guaranteed to challenge for the top trophies every single year; Liverpool is a club in turmoil; barely able to guarantee a consistent top-four place, and led by a manager who is seemingly incapable of attracting top-class players.

Of course, money talks, but I can't see how Liverpool can attract a player of Benzema's stature to Anfield.

Author:


21 comments:

  1. He is the main striker for Real Madrid. Who are they buying to replace him? I think there were reports during summer that Benzema didn't like the idea of joining Liverpool as the club is not big enough for him? I am not sure about this rumor. Its unrealistic both in terms of finance and players desire. Even if those two things are sorted out, 50mn for Benzema is not a great business tbh. There is a real dearth of world class strikers atm but 50mn for Benzema is still too much.

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  2. Looks like something is wrong with BR.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLKpD9hWS9k#t=81

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  3. He appears angry which is not a bad thing

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  4. Nevergonnacrackthecode10:34 pm, December 19, 2014

    Lacazette has pace ,skill,intensity

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  5. Nevergonnacrackthecode10:35 pm, December 19, 2014

    did benzema not call us a small club?

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  6. Nevergonnacrackthecode10:40 pm, December 19, 2014

    I have found the reason why we lost after carrying out a inquest
    our strikers are not good enough
    if you look at the brazil team at the world cup it is really good but because they had Fred up front they were quite bad.
    Lambert is our Fred


    To be a good team we have to stop playing Freds up front and get strikers with pace,skill,intensity,movement,tenaciousness,creativity
    So playing Raheem up front is our best bet till we can get a Lacazette

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  7. RM's main striker being released to Liverpool whilst they are still in the CL!

    Even if Liverpool were silly enough to offer that money for him it will not happen. LFC must rid themselves of a mass of underperforming central defenders and midfielders (the latter does not include Gerrard). Lovren, Sakho, Toure and midfielders Suso, Can and others the manager will not play should be offered in a loan exchange for Shawcross and Cattermole.
    Further I plead that Mignolet should suffer no further embarrassment by being stood down "indefinitely" but that he be loaned out in exchange for Begovic. All this would cost no money if successful and give the club the breathing space to consider fully summer transfers before being committed fully to purchase. Oh by the way Tony Pulis is still out of work and may look favourably on an opportunity to prove himself a creditable alternative to Brendan Rodgers if given a short term contract - initially.

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  8. Where on earth do these rumours start? After spending in excess of £100M in the summer, does anyone really think we can afford to spend £50M on one player? Anyway, as has been stated elsewhere, a player of his repute would never be interested in a club with a mid-table mentality.

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  9. Nevergonnacrackthecode10:51 pm, December 19, 2014

    if you were mignolet why would you join stoke?
    I would rather warm lfc bench and "fight for my place"
    that is why loans deals don't work it has to be good for 4 parties
    stoke whne they sell Begovic will simply get Butland to take over this way tehy get as much mone as possible

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  10. Pulis...you having a laugh

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  11. I appreciate the fact that we need to sort out our defence, but would you really want Pulis in charge of us? He would be just as unlikely to get us into the top 4 or bring us silverware.


    I think it is unlikely that FSG would take a short-term view on the managerial situation, but would rather wait till the end of the season to appoint the right person.

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  12. He is part of an exceptional Real Madrid team. The person Real have that I would like to see at LFC is...Carlo Ancelotti ;-)

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  13. Yeah from what I have heard him say about us he would take it if ever his position at Real Madrid came into doubt. He has huge affection for LFC and could be a future candidate for the job if and when available.

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  14. The answer to that is Yes! I would find it impossible to stand the humiliation of being stood down "indefinitely" and would jump at the chance to prove myself in another Premier Division team under a good manager like 'Sparky' Hughes.

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  15. I see no reason for this to have any truth to it.


    Why would Benzema leave the World's best team (at the moment)?


    Why would Real sell a striker who has overcame skeptics and become one of the best strikers in the world and someone who is perfect for their system?


    Where are we going to get another £50m from?


    Just some pre-January rumour mongering.

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  16. You may not think much of my suggestion but I am certainly not joking. If you think Liverpool's woes disappeared with their win over Bournemouth in the Capital Cup I think you are mistaken. The defence is terrible and the manager is caught like a rabbit in the headlights on the M1. FSG must be given space and time to resolve the issue and I think the Loan System and Tony Pulis could provide that.

    We are not going to get a topline manager to replace BR until the close season - in summer.

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  17. Not gonna happen

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  18. This rumour has NEVER EVER made sense to me. I really expect journos to do better.


    Why would Benzema abandon a starting spot for the biggest team in the world- who are European Champions- and huge wages... for struggling Liverpool???!!!

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  19. I can feel the disappointment already,hes good but hes not the type that will brings the best outta other players and score lots of goal.BR will be stupid enough to pay that kinda money,if he does then i hope he'll get the sack.

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