21million for Benzema - United rumoured to offer

I'm not encouraged by a potential target that dosent seem like he's all that keen to join us. Sounds pretty obvious he prefers Madrid, Barcelona and AC Milan over us.
 
redender said:
Brilliant Benzema standing on the verge of greatness

When Man Utd travel to Stade Gerland, they will have to find a way to suppress the most complete young striker in the world today

Sourse: Guardian


Your hyperbole-and-fatuous-cliché detector may block this out but I'm going to blurt it anyway: the new Ronaldo has arrived. Just as it was sad to see the great Brazilian stricken by a possibly career-ending injury last week, so this week we may have occasion to rejoice at the spectacle of a young French striker proving that he has all the attributes to tormet the planent's best defences like no forward since, yes, Ronaldo.

Already Karim Benzema has been dubbed le phénomène and l'extraterrestre in his homeland; Lyon's Champions League clash with Manchester United this week is his chance to challenge watchers around the world to come up with a more inspired nickname. Many are already familiar with him, of course - Rangers fans probably wish they weren't, for it was against them that Benzema produced his best European performance to date. With Lyon needing to win at Ibrox in the last group game to progress, Benzema led the line superbly, using his strength, speed and balance to bully defenders right across the back four, his intelligence to knit together Lyon's offensive moves and supreme finishing skills to plunder two goals and tee up another. For a 19-year-old playing the highest-stakes match of his life, it was an amazingly accomplished exhibition.

Followers of French football weren't surprised. On Lyon's books since the age of nine, Benzema has long been tipped for the top. He hit 14 goals in 18 matches for the France Under-17s, with whom he became European champion in 2004. He signed his first professional contract with Lyon a few months later and though he was restricted to just six senior appearances in the 2004-05 season - and didn't score - he confirmed in his debut that he was special by coming on as a substitute in the dying minutes to dink the ball cheekily over a flummoxed Metz defender before centring neatly for Bryan Bergougnoux to stab in a winner.

Fast forward two years to the start of this season and Metz were again the victims as Benzema bagged the first hat-trick of his career. His league total for the campaign now stands at 16 from 21 starts, making him Ligue 1's top scorer and Gérard Houllier a fool; for last season Houllier insisted Benzema wasn't ready for the big time and only used him fitfully, preferring to place his trust in ... Milan Baros.

Now Benzema is not only the No1 striker in Ligue 1 but also the top forward in the national team. Raymond Domenech's mind is never easy to read but, when contemplating the possible offensive line-up for the recent friendly against Spain, France Football suggested that the only question facing the manager should be: "Benzema et qui?" ("Benzema and who?"). Ever the contrarian, Domenech started with Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry before replacing the former with Benzema in the 60th minute - almost immediately the youngster's vivacity and incisiveness enlivened a drab game as he forced a smart save from Iker Casillas with a powerful left-foot shot before, in added time, sending a fine header crashing against the crossbar.

That was his ninth appearance for Les Bleus and already he's netted three goals. Henry, France's record goalscorer, had just one cap and no goals at the same age.

Benzema's great strength is, well, that he has lots of strengths. His control and balance are impeccable even when at top speed. He can rifle in from long-range with his left (as against Auxerre on the first day of the season) or his right (as against Rangers at Ibrox) and he also excels in the air (as against Le Mans in September), with dainty lobs (savour this gem against Lorient) or Gerd Müller-esque scrambles; he can create space for himself with sheer brute force, explosive acceleration, canny movement or his precious awareness and agility (à la his back-heeled nutmeg that took out two defenders before his goal against Lens).

He even takes a mean free-kick. And he creates as many as he scores and fits in to any formation. In short, he has the power and mobility of Didier Drogba, the finesse of Andriy Shevchenko in his pomp and the finishing instinct of Ruud van Nistelrooy. His goals against Rangers and within eight minutes of his France debut (against Austria last March) - the biggest games of his fledgling career - suggest he may even have the Ronaldoesque gift of scoring when the pressure is at its most rarefied.

"He's my idol, the best player of all time as far I'm concerned," Benzema recently said of Ronaldo. "I've got loads of DVDs of him in action and I watch them all the time. It's a little embarrassing when people compare me to him - I've still got plenty of room for progress and I'm just trying to continue working hard; if I can have a career a little bit like his, well, that would be extraordinary." Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and AC Milan are among those who reckon Benzema could have a career a little like his idol's. All are known to have made inquiries about him, each being met with Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas's assertion that the player will not be sold until Les Gones win the Champions League. And even then only for a world-record fee.

Winning the Champions League seems unlikely this term with Lyon's defence being as rickety as it is (gee, who would have thought that January addition of Jean-Alain Boumsong wouldn't shore things up?) but with Benzema up front, his fellow 20-year-old Hatem Ben Arfa out wide and the majestic, if ageing, Juninho in the middle ably supported by Jérémy Toulalan (who could accurately be described as the French Owen Hargreaves if he didn't occasionally pop up with a goal), they'll certainly cause United problems on Wednesday. Some say Ronaldo's last truly legendary performance was for Real Madrid against United in 2003 when, famously, he hit a hat-trick that wrung a standing ovation from the Old Trafford faithful. Perhaps on Wednesday United fans will be similarly privileged to witness the new Ronaldo produce his first truly legendary performance. If injury spares him, many more should follow.
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OTT. His done nothing to be all that!! I like him as a player but this article is just plain sickening.

Just on a side not would you guys prefer Benzema or Menez?
 
Mainoldo said:
OTT. His done nothing to be all that!! I like him as a player but this article is just plain sickening.

Just on a side not would you guys prefer Benzema or Menez?
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benzema. he has everything in his locker.

If i wasn't speaking objectively, i'd say menez as I enjoy watching him play more, but he isn't the striker type that we need.
 
VoetbalWizard said:
benzema. he has everything in his locker.

If i wasn't speaking objectively, i'd say menez as I enjoy watching him play more, but he isn't the striker type that we need.
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I agree Benzema looks like the perfect striker but i feel if some 1 can tap into Menez's ability he could out progress Benzema...
 
Mainoldo said:
I agree Benzema looks like the perfect striker but i feel if some 1 can tap into Menez's ability he could out progress Benzema...
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I agree, however menez looks to like coming from deeper positions or out wide...more of a 'all action striker' of which we already have waz and tev, if not ronaldo as well. As youth, menez was the more talented and higher rated one than benzema.
 
Mainoldo said:
OTT. His done nothing to be all that!! I like him as a player but this article is just plain sickening.

Just on a side not would you guys prefer Benzema or Menez?
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It's a bit OTT, wouldn't say sickening.

I remember seeing the U17's youth tournament, and remember Menez, Ben Arfa, & Nasri were the stars. Benzema seems to have really outgrown them since then.

I think Menez is talented, but Benzema's strike rate for one so young, coupled with some of the goals he's scores means i'd have to plump for him. Either way any half decent striker could score bagfulls the amount of chances we create.
 
reddevilcanada said:
Lyon star reveals Spanish aim

Benzema prefers Spain or Italy to England

Manchester United target Karim Benzema has claimed he would rather play in Spain or Italy, than England.


Sir Alex Ferguson is a confirmed fan of Benzema and his Lyon team-mate Hatem Ben Arfa.

But the 20-year-old France international has told the Spanish press that his future lies in La Liga.

"I like the Spanish and Italian leagues," he told Don Balon.


"The Premier League does not hold too much attraction to me.


"Although they have great teams and I consider that I could play there, the style of game they play does not attract me.

"I love La Liga because they play beautiful football there.



Barca liking


"As far as football is concerned, Barca are the team I prefer today because they play it on touch," he said.

"I must admit I like Real Madrid as well, even if they are more focused on defending.

"Barca also give young players the chance to play alongside stars, which helps them improve a lot.

"In Italy football is stronger and more based on tactics and it's more difficult to impose yourself, but I consider it a very good league as well."



Ferguson keen

Speaking ahead of Lyon's clash with United, Red Devils chief Ferguson admitted that the French club could be very proud of their young striker whilst also admitting he wants another forward.

"It's an area we tried to strengthen last summer and I don't think that has left us," he told the Daily Star.

"We have big hopes for Danny Welbeck and we have Fraizer Campbell, who has done well at Hull, coming back.

"But both are very young. Ben Arfa and Benzema are 20. Benzema is a local boy, which I am sure gives Lyon pride."

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3166784,00.html
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He can feck off then.
 
Muppets, this is going to hurt...

Ligue 1 - Benzema doesn't fancy United move

Eurosport - Tue, 19 Feb 12:01:00 2008

Manchester United target Karim Benzema has claimed he would rather play in Spain or Italy than England.
FOOTBALL - lyon - LORIENT - LIGUE 1 - 2008 - BENZEMA - 0
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* Ligue 1 fixtures and results

Sir Alex Ferguson is a confirmed fan of Benzema and his Lyon team-mate Hatem Ben Arfa.

But the France international has told the Spanish press that his future lies in La Liga.

"I like the Spanish and Italian leagues," he told Don Balon.

"The Premier League does not hold too much attraction to me.

"Although they have great teams and I consider that I could play there, the style of game they play does not attract me.

"I love La Liga because they play beautiful football there.

"As far as football is concerned, Barca are the team I prefer today because they play it on touch," he said.

"I must admit I like Real Madrid as well, even if they are more focused on defending.

"Barca also give young players the chance to play alongside stars, which helps them improve a lot.

"In Italy football is stronger and more based on tactics and it's more difficult to impose yourself, but I consider it a very good league as well."

Speaking ahead of Lyon's clash with United, Manchester United boss Ferguson admitted that the French club could be very proud of their young striker whilst also admitting he's in the market for a forward.

"It's an area we tried to strengthen last summer and I don't think that has left us," he told the Daily Star.

"We have big hopes for Danny Welbeck and we have Frazier Campbell, who has done well at Hull, coming back.

"But both are very young. Ben Arfa and Benzema are 20. Benzema is a local boy, which I am sure gives Lyon pride."
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link
 
Don't know much about him personally so, whatever....
 
feck him then. I liked him a lot but if he'd rather move to leagues where defenses will be easier for him to play against then so be it. And yes, I do think that the standards of defence in England is much better than Italy.
 
England is clearly the best league in the world, looks like he is off to Madrid though, when one door closes another one opens
 
This Benzema guy doesn't know much about football if he thinks Ronaldo (the Brazilian) is all time best player and that we don't play beautiful football in Premiership.

Off course some matches between bottom teams can be dull, but then again, so are the matches between bottom teams in La Liga.

If he doesn't want to come he can feck off, we don't need him that much.
 
guys let's just calm down about his comments. it wasn't too long back he was saying that he would like a move to man utd!!

lets just wait and see what happens in the summer.
 
red thru&thru said:
guys let's just calm down about his comments. it wasn't too long back he was saying that he would like a move to man utd!!

lets just wait and see what happens in the summer.
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No he didnt, he said he dreams of playing for Milan, then named a few other clubs and at the end added our name to the list. That ended up being 'Benzema dreams to play for united' in the papers or some shit like that.
 
Judge a player's reaction after they sit down with SAF, and he sells the club, and his vision for their career to them. Of course somebody with no attachment to the club would want to move to warmer climates, and to leagues which physically resemble their own.
 
raven_blade2002 said:
If he could choose the Italian league over the Premier League he must not be that intelligent.
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Exactly. feck the cnut i say! If we truly are after him and he turns us down he'll regret it in the long term!
 
Benzema

Buy him now Fergie..Ehsanul has ordered u. Nah we need him badly and should buy him at any cost.
 
Inevitable thread.

373 posts and already enlightened about Eshanul's muppetry, impressive.
 
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