Transfer Centre

Lyon chief confirms interest in Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 11 September 2020

Lyon chief confirms interest in Karim Benzema

Lyon sporting director Juninho pleads with Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema to rejoin his boyhood club and end his career as their "leader and scorer".

Lyon sporting director Juninho has revealed that he is interested in re-signing Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

Benzema came through the ranks at Lyon, joining the club at the age of nine and going on to score 66 times in 148 appearances for the senior team before sealing a move to Madrid in 2009.

The Frenchman has spent the last 11 years at the Bernabeu and last season scored 21 goals to fire them to the La Liga title.

Madrid are expected to undergo a rebuild next summer, though, with Erling Braut Haaland earmarked as Benzema's long-term replacement, and Juninho has pleaded with the 32-year-old to end his career at his boyhood club.

"It is our dream that Karim ends with us," he is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

"It is the dream of everyone at Lyon, to bring him two seasons to play the Champions League and to be our leader and scorer. We need your experience and it would help us win games."

Benzema has scored 249 times in 513 games for Real Madrid across all competitions.