La Liga - Benzema to join Real Madrid

Eurosport - Thu, 02 Jul 08:53:00 2009

Karim Benzema is set to join Real Madrid after Lyon accepted an offer of 35 million euros (£30m) plus add-ons for the France striker.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Lyon - Benzema - 0

The agreed fee, which could rise to 41m euros dependent on performances, was announced on Les Gones' website.

"Several days ago Karim Benzema told club president Jean-Michel Aulas of his wish to join Madrid - who were always his preferred destination after Lyon - more quickly than originally thought," the Ligue 1 club said.

"The player wanted take the opportunity offered to be one of the key players in Madrid's ambitious new policy to collect some of the biggest players in the world.

"Lyon accepted Benzema's decision and we negotiated terms that pleased all parties concerned.

"The club would like to wish Benzema the best of luck with Real Madrid and that he gets the greatest benefit from an ambitious sporting and economic package which - given the different funding, sponsorship, fan-base and stadium size - we in France cannot compete with."

Radio Cadena Ser reported he will sign a six-year contract with the Spanish giants.

Club president Florentino Perez said that their next big signing would be presented "tomorrow", Thursday July 2.

France international Benzema is Madrid's third big-money summer signing following the acquisitions of Kaka (£60m) and Cristiano Ronaldo (£80m).

He has scored 37 Ligue 1 goals in the past two seasons for Lyon, with nine in 15 Champions League matches.

Premier League champions Manchester United were linked with the player after they received full payment from Real for Ronaldo's world-record move.

Both clubs are also thought to be interested in signing Bayern Munich's French attacking midfielder Franck Ribery.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

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  1. Real Madrid are 1000.000.000.000 Bigger than­ Manchester­ United WTF IS MAN U ? 2 CL ? hahahaha!! ­ Hala Madrid!! Hala Madrid!! Ronaldo, Robben, Kaka,­ Benzema, Higuain, Ramos, Albiol, Garay, Pepe, Casillas,­ Marcelo, Raul!!!

    From chechenr, on Thu 2 Jul 1:00AM

  2. The next one will be Arbeloa! f c k! But Xabi Alonso­ must stay at Liverpool! No transfer to Real!­ !!!ANTIMADRIDISTA!!!

    From damnsoldja, on Thu 2 Jul 12:59AM

  3. There are no part timers playing in the premiership, ­ Rangers would find it tough trying to play 40 - 50­ games a season against battle hardened totaly Pro­ teams. I believe they would be in bottom eight and­ possably relegated along with Celtic. They rise to the­ occassion in europe against English teams but very­ rare and even among avarage european teams struggle­ most seasons. Best they stay among the postmen, bakers,­ civil servants and leave the mans stuff to the men.

    From ben, on Thu 2 Jul 12:57AM

  4. poor liverpool fans always having a go at man utd, haha­ sounds like they are not happy, because glen johnson is­ there star signing and they must sell before buying,­ well thats what small teams get for not being able to­ make a profit,4 in a row here we come

    From supersean1999, on Thu 2 Jul 12:54AM

  5. !!!ANTIMADRIDISTA!!!

    From damnsoldja, on Thu 2 Jul 12:48AM

  6. REAL MADRID THE NAME SAYS IT ALL END OF. LIVERPOOL MAN­ U RANGERS CELTIC WE DONT HAVE HISTORY LIKE REAL END OF­ EUROPEAN HISTORY THAT IS

    From n.haig123, on Thu 2 Jul 12:45AM

  7. win lose or draw those Real Madrid fans are in for­ exciting times ahead with those stars strutting there­ stuff

    From ben, on Thu 2 Jul 12:43AM

  8. THE BIGGEST PLAYERS'S CEMETARY IN THE HISTORY OF­ FOOTBALL....
    -----------REAL­ MADRID!!!!!-----------------
    congratulatios....
    +McMana­ man
    +saviola
    +ronaldo
    +owen
    +BENZEMA....

    From Sergio, on Thu 2 Jul 12:43AM

  9. MAN U SYMPATHY VOTE 4 THE BUSBY BABES FACT THATS Y THEY­ HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY HAVE AND DEFY ANYONE WHO SAYS­ OTHER WISE AND LIVERPOOL SAME AS MAU RUN BY JOCKS U­ LOT HAVE A LOT TO THANK US 4 BY THE WAY I MEANT­ LIVERPOOL OF OLD SHANKLY I REST MY CASE

    From n.haig123, on Thu 2 Jul 12:41AM

  10. ,,,

    From Sergio, on Thu 2 Jul 12:40AM

  11. liverFOOL........

    From syafique, on Thu 2 Jul 12:38AM

  12. Definatelly bad decision Benzema!!!
    You are going to­ regret for this choice... see ANELKA!!!
    He wasted so­ long time.
    In Unt you could be the best... NOw you are­ going to play a few minutes in galactikos depending on­ the coach Madrid hires(every 6 months a new one)..­ ahahahahah!!!
    REAL MADRID the biggest players'­ cemetary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dont­ you agree?????

    From Sergio, on Thu 2 Jul 12:37AM

  13. All you 'united haters just because you support­ another english team' out there.... if your belief­ is that the world's top players aren't going to­ United because of the manager or the club aren't­ good enough for them, it's actually an indictment­ on the entire league and the perhaps the country (well­ it's weather or language or whatever) because If­ the top team in the richest league in the world (for 3­ seasons in a row and back-to-back Champions league­ finals) puts in a bid for you, and you turn it down.­ Then they aren't going to any other club in the­ league. And whatever else you may say, The united board­ has always tried to run the club on a sound business­ footing and has historically shy-ed away from bidding­ wars that just serve to escalate the price - as has­ Liverpool and Barca (since LaPorta came in) for that­ matter. But these money-mad clubs (and I include­ Chelsea, City and Madrid) are causing serious problems­ for the future of Football.

    From omahonyi, on Thu 2 Jul 12:36AM

  14. PT 322 YU ARE A CLOWN AND ARE SO SICK THAT REAL ARE THE­ TOP SPENDERS

    From n.haig123, on Thu 2 Jul 12:35AM

  15. ANYWAY GLASGOW RANGERS ARE THE WORLDS MOST SUCCESSFUL­ DOMESTIC CLUB SIDE 52 LEAGUE TITLES 25LEAGUE CUPS 33­ SCOTTISH FA CUPS AND ONE CUP[ WINNERS CUP RUNNERS UP 61­ AND 67 AND UEFA CUP RUNNERS UP 2008 111 FACT AND U­ ENGLISH SAY WOT U WANT ABOUT OUR LEAGUE BUT ITS A UEFA­ RECOGNISED LEAGUE AND WE HAVE MORE HISTORY THAN ANY­ ENGLISH CLUB OH AND WE HAVE THE BRITISH RECORD LEAGUE­ ATTENDANCE V CELTIC 2ND JANUARY 1939 118,560 FACT I­ WOULD LOVE TO GO ON BUT, ANYWAY RANGERS LOYAL TRUE AND­ BLUE

    From n.haig123, on Thu 2 Jul 12:34AM

  16. ANYWAY GLASGOW RANGERS ARE THE WORLDS MOST SUCCESSFUL­ DOMESTIC CLUB SIDE 52 LEAGUE TITLES 25LEAGUE CUPS 33­ SCOTTISH FA CUPS AND ONE CUP[ WINNERS CUP RUNNERS UP 61­ AND 67 AND UEFA CUP RUNNERS UP 2008 111 FACT AND U­ ENGLISH SAY WOT U WANT ABOUT OUR LEAGUE BUT ITS A UEFA­ RECOGNISED LEAGUE AND WE HAVE MORE HISTORY THAN ANY­ ENGLISH CLUB OH AND WE HAVE THE BRITISH RECORD LEAGUE­ ATTENDANCE V CELTIC 2ND JANUARY 1939 118,560 FACT I­ WOULD LOVE TO GO ON BUT, ANYWAY RANGERS LOYAL TRUE AND­ BLUE

    From n.haig123, on Thu 2 Jul 12:34AM

  17. ingenierocassiusmarcelusclay. Go back to spain!!!­ estupido gilipollas

    From Toto, on Thu 2 Jul 12:32AM

  18. I am bookin my ticket to Barca for next May. Barca will­ be champion even if Real spend 1 BN . It will also be­ nice to see Messi be awreded best player in the world­ while prez spent huge money! The pain of 6-2 defeat in­ Madrid has affected Perez's brain. Madrid maybe the­ bigest spenders in the world but without doubt Mighty­ Man u is the begist Club in the world! Its only July I­ am sure fergie will spend big!

    Follow, follow,­ follow,
    Because United won 3 in a row,
    All of you other­ twats, you just try and top that,
    Because united won 3­ in a row...

    From koros a, on Thu 2 Jul 12:24AM

  19. More than a little surprised that no-one has mentioned­ the fact that the Spanish Top rate of Tax is 27 percent­ whereas the British Top rate of Tax has just become 50­ percent. So if you were negotiating a EUR100,000 plus­ per week salary, where would you go?

    From omahonyi, on Thu 2 Jul 12:23AM

  20. he should go to utd

    From shandu_93, on Thu 2 Jul 12:23AM
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