Comments on: Karim Benzema Making Eyes at Milan (Among Others)

By: Ilan

Ilan — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:17:50 +0000

Benzema has 3 assists to go along with his 11 goals this season, making him not only the top goalscorer in France but, with 14 points in as many games, the top point-scorer too. He is quite a talent for a nineteen year old.
I listed the statistics of him and some other European youngsters who could be moving to some big clubs in the coming year.
soccerstatistics.blogspot.com

By: Inara

Inara — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:49:08 +0000

Don’t worry Martha, you didn’t make the Inter connection up. There have been a lot of reports in France about Inter’s interest in Benzema too.

By: Martha

Martha — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:11:49 +0000

Cripes, k, you’re right. I hope to god I didn’t make that up, but I can’t find the Inter thing anywhere (apart from last week’s post) — thank you for pointing it out.

By: k

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:51:29 +0000

oddly, goal.com has him “flirting” with milan not inter..

well it wouldnt really make sense for him to go to inter anyway.. but apparently moratti wont rest until he has 800 million strikers on his team…

and if he were to leave for one of the three clubs, milan or madrid are his most likely destination.. i think barca have got their share of youngsters full of potential with krcic and dos santos… and in the case of messi, super awesome youngster full of bad ass moves..

By: Laurie

Laurie — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:43:51 +0000

Speaking of “adored at his club,” when I was at Metz for Metz-Lyon in September, I was AMAZED at the number of people wearing Benzema jerseys. This is one popular kid. (I adore this kid, so I’d get one myself, except that he’s nineteen and it would feel beyond creepy.)

I wish there could be some way for France to keep him throughout his career.

By: Martha

Martha — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:12:16 +0000

Thanks, Inara, both for the image of your commitment and the info; will fix the goal count.

By: Inara

Inara — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:11:13 +0000

He’s actually scored three times for France (and also has four goals in the CL). Not bad for a kid.

Also, Benzema will be REALLY expensive. Probably more than he’s worth right now, but considering that his contract has five years on it, I don’t see any club willing to shell out that much for him until he’s proved himself over a longer period of time.

By: Inara

Inara — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:58:21 +0000

http://ngishili.com/images/tank_china.jpg

That’s me stopping the clubs trying to sign Benzema from entering France.

Anyway, it’s well known that Benzema wants to play abroad one day (especially Real Madrid), and he hasn’t made a secret of it, nor has he ever said he wants to end his career at Lyon. Believe me, no one in France is expecting that. But he (and his agent) have repeatedly said that he isn’t leaving this summer.

Naturally these media articles only take out excerpts from whole interviews to make it seem like Benzema is just dying to leave Lyon, but what’s he’s really been saying, besides expressing his admiration for certain clubs, is that he still has a future with Lyon, has things to do with the club that has given him everything, and he wants to win the Champions League with them. But of course the media conveniently excludes that part.

Love for his club is part of the reason he wants to stay for a few more years, but also, he’s starting at Lyon, adored by his public, getting world attention, playing in the CL and getting call ups for France.

At 19, this is as good as it will get at ANY club. Going to Real or Milan right now means he’ll be a back up striker no matter how good he is. He knows that if he waits for two years, and assuming he continues to progress, clubs will value him more, and Lyon will get a higher price for him.

Staying for a few years won’t kill his career. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who plays in the Dutch League, which is worse than France, is 23 but has been the latest hot thing for two years now still in high demand.

So no, Benzema won’t leave this summer.