Lyon have accepted that they are close to defeat in their attempts to try and keep star player, Karim Benzema. The young Frenchman is thought to head a shortlist of attacking players that Sir Alex Ferguson will try to buy to make good the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester United would be a good destination for the young man and it should not unsettle him too much in terms of moving to another country. He would be well positioned to be able to go home frequently and the pace of the Premier League could suit him well as he continues his development as a player.

Lyon had insisted that the player would not be going to another club this summer but the club’s president, Jean-Michel Aulas, has now admitted that £35 million would be a hard fee to turn down. United would probably be happy to pay it as well because it is a lot less than they would have to fork out for Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich.





Aulas said: “Karim has said he wants to stay at Lyon but I think Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka also imagined they would be staying with their clubs. There is a tsunami known as Real Madrid sweeping through football which leads to a reaction from Chelsea, City and tomorrow United.”

“I won’t hide the fact he has been approached by other teams – as a consequence, saying that he is non-transferable is tough.”

Benzema has been far and away the most potent of Lyon’s attacking players over the last two seasons, scoring 54 goals in the process of becoming the most feared player in the top-flight of French football. This has meant that he has attracted a lot of interest but the rumours linking him with United have existed for a lot longer than those associating him with any other clubs.

He would also benefit from the fact that Patrice Evra, his international team mate, already plays at United and could easily help him settle in. He would also be more likely to get a starting place at United as opposed to if he joined a top Spanish side. The thought of Benzema and Rooney side by side, destroying defences is a truly terrifying prospect.




It may also be the case that Ferguson wants to go for a player that mirrors how Ronaldo was when he first went to United. Although Benzema would arrive with a higher profile and the statistics to back him up, he would be similar to the Portuguese winger in the respect that he still has the naivety of youth. This could allow the United boss to mould him into a truly terrifying player that could benefit United in a number of other areas.

Lyon now seem resigned to the fact that they will have to sell the player as soon as United come in with a big bid. Benzema would be well advised to ignore the lucrative rival offers that are likely to come his way and think about what would be best for him personally and his career in the game.

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