Manchester United have been linked with a January move for French striker Karim Benzema, but it doesn’t sound like a move will materialise this month.
The former Real Madrid striker reportedly wants to leave Saudi Arabia just six months after signing for Al-Ittihad.
United and Chelsea have been linked with the previous Ballon d’Or winner, 36, with Erik ten Hag’s side struggling to score goals since the start of the season. The idea was pitched in newspapers, although football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims a winter loan for the player could be almost impossible.
“It is not going to be easy for any player to leave Saudi Arabia, especially in January,” Romano told the United Stand YouTube channel. “They are big salaries and I know there are stories about Benzema and many others but from what I’m hearing, the situation is not at that stage.
“It’s not concrete, it’s not advanced. There is some tension between Karim Benzema and people at Al-Ittihad. They have a new director of football now, Ramon Planes, who was at Real Betis and just joined the club.
“Today [Monday], he will start his new chapter at Al-Ittihad and he will have a conversation with Karim Benzema and the manager [Marcelo] Gallardo and they will try to understand what is going on.
“So let’s see what happens with Benzema but at the moment there is not a concrete negotiations, it is just normal links with a fantastic striker who can be an opportunity on the market for many clubs around Europe.
“As of today there is no clarity on what is going to happen with Al-Ittihad, and no guarantee that Al-Ittihad will accept a loan deal, especially a cheap loan deal. I think he is not an easy one for all the English clubs potentially interested in Karim Benzema.”
Benzema is not the only players that moved to Saudi Arabia who is trying to find a way out after six months. The same applies to former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, who probably regrets moving away from Europe in the summer. Henderson has been linked with a move to Ajax.
Get the latest Manchester United news, opinion, interviews and exclusive features with the Stretty Newsletter – Ad Free! Kick off your afternoon with the Stretty News verdict on all matters Manchester United.
More must-reads: