Real Madrid agent Karim Benzema is considering leaving the club after this season if Erling Haaland arrives at Los Blancos in the summer window. La Liga giants are consistently linked with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe for a possible summer move. Many reports suggest that one of Haaland or Mbappe will be playing for Real Madrid next season and that will be the end of Benzema’s career at Santiago Bernabeu.
The 34-year-old French striker is in form of his life this season with 24 goals and 8 assists in 27 appearances. Benzema is in great form at Real Madrid since the famous departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in 2018. Benzema always played a deputy role to Ronaldo in the Real Madrid attack but now playing as a key striker for the last three seasons. He has scored 20+ league goals in the last two seasons and now looks like scoring 35+ league goals and 50+ total goals at the end of this season.
Benzema arrived at Santiago Bernabeu from Lyons in 2009 and since then has been pivotal in Real Madrid’s success last decade. Benzema is currently the fourth-highest goalscorer for the Los Blancos with 300+ goals and holds the record for most assists for the club. Benzema still has 18 months remaining on his contract but reports suggest that he will be leaving at the end of this season for sure.
Haaland In & Benzema Out At Real Madrid Next Season?
There is no doubt that Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are the next big thing in world football. Both players have shown their consistency to become ‘next Messi-Ronaldo’ in the upcoming years. The 21-year-old Haaland is most likely to leave Borussia Dortmund as his release clause of £64 million gets activated in the summer. Haaland has no shortage of suitors but his wage demands are unlikely to be met by every interested club.
According to the latest report from Marca, it will cost £292 million to sign Haaland this summer. This mammoth number is divided into £64 million transfer fee, agent’s commission, and player’s salary for the next six years. Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to meet players’ wage demands but the same report also suggests that player is looking for a La Liga move.
Barcelona are financially not capable to pull this deal but are looking for fresh investment into the club before the end of this season. Real Madrid are also expected to make funds available to afford Haaland’s wages but the possible departure of high-earning players Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Marcelo, and Isco will be enough for them to sign the Norwegian superstar this summer. But it will be a lot easier for Carlo Ancelotti’s side if they sell one of Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale, or Karim Benzema who earn the highest at the Spanish capitals.
According to a report from El Nacional, Benzema is aware of the possible signing of Haaland next season and it will hamper his position in the squad even if he scored fifty-plus goals this season. The same reports also suggest that Real Madrid have offered a lifetime contract to the player but Benzema is not in favor of the deputy role under Erling Haaland next season and has rejected contract offers from the club.