Source

Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Lyon to sign Karim Benzema, according to the player's agent.

Widespread reports in Spain and France have suggested Real are closing in on the signature of the French international.

However, it appears Real have won the race for Benzema's signature after agreeing a deal in the region of €35 million with Lyon.

If we missed out on one of the hottest prospects in European football for €35 million (which is nearly J30 million), I would be very gutted.

I guess no one in the club had identified him as a target (and for good reason - we still have Drogba), but it frustrates me that one by one the brightest prospects of world football are going somewhere else.

I really like Benzema and would have loved to see him in blue, but Real are going crazy this year and I guess it can't be helped. At one point all this debt will stop them, but that day doesn't seem near.

Suppose that's one way to keep him out of Man Utd's hands.

If they get him, Real will have one scary looking forward line that's for sure.

SSN UPDATE: Lyon are denying that he has been agreed a move with anyone. Of course, they would say that.

I thought Real would pull out all the stops to get Villa, in order to increase the Spanish contingent, but I guess they still felt they needed a forward

I really like this player. Big, strong fella with a thunderbolt of a shot. At 21 I am sure he will be one of the world's best strikers before too long. And yeah, for 30m they will have gotten a steal in this market. The fact that we have a rejuvenated Drogba wouldnt stop me from wanting to sign up a player who might lead the line for another ten years

As you say, Virosh, better Real get him than Man Utd. With their luck he would be the next f**king Cantona or something (he kind of looks like him)

Its Madrid after all. Lyon have confirmed it

And its 30m pounds according to SSN. Real's romp continues on. They will be nothing if not entertaining next year. And that must be curtains for KJ Huntelaar

--------------Casillas

--Ramos--Albiol--Pepe--Marcelo

---------------Gago

---Ronaldo-----Kaka----one of the Dutchies

----------Raul-------Benzema/Higuain

Cmon Madrid, must have a few million lying around for Alonso surely!

Edited July 1, 200917 yr by TheWestwayWonder

I think it may well be Raul who misses out more often than not next season. Higuain has just had a very good season and has a very promising future ahead of him.

Something tells me that "one of the Dutchies" could well be Ribery...even though he isn't a Dutchie...

Madrid have spent £170m, and still have a dodgy backline, I can see it all ending in tears.

I think it may well be Raul who misses out more often than not next season. Higuain has just had a very good season and has a very promising future ahead of him.

True, but Raul is a legend at Real Madrid. Do they really want to put him on the bench? Can they put him on the bench?

And what about Van Nistelrooy?

But I agree about Higuain. Had a great season and should have a place in the starting eleven.

Madrid have spent £170m, and still have a dodgy backline, I can see it all ending in tears.

What's up? How can Real make those purchases, are they using Monopoly money?

Seriously, how can they make those expenditures? Are the payments to be made in installments over a long period of time?

I too think Higuain will be class for them in the long run. He really does possess all the skills and gifts to be a great. His four goals against Malaga this year was awesome.

True, but Raul is a legend at Real Madrid. Do they really want to put him on the bench? Can they put him on the bench?

And what about Van Nistelrooy?

But I agree about Higuain. Had a great season and should have a place in the starting eleven.

Van Nistelrooy is practically leading the exodous. Despte 63 (thats sixty three!) goals in 93 games, including half of those without David Beckham, he is apparently finished there and they even took away his squad number.

They might be the dream club of every player, but once they are done with you, youre out on your ass before you know what's happened.

Loz, your instincts may prove to be right. I remember reading that Perez had acknowledged in an interview that Raul would see some reduced minutes and less appearances next year. A pairing of Higuain/Benzema is the stuff dreams are made of. Truly two players that pretty much have it all between them.

What's up? How can Real make those purchases, are they using Monopoly money?

Seriously, how can they make those expenditures? Are the payments to be made in installments over a long period of time?

paying in installments, and, basically, they are taking out massive loans from local banks at what are alleged to be excellent borrowing rates. Add that to their already massive income, and this is what you get.

Its a good question Phillip, and alot of people have been asking the same: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story...437&cc=5901

What's up? How can Real make those purchases, are they using Monopoly money?

Seriously, how can they make those expenditures? Are the payments to be made in installments over a long period of time?

paying in installments, and, basically, they are taking out massive loans from local banks at what are alleged to be excellent borrowing rates. Add that to their already massive income, and this is what you get.

Its a good question Phillip, and alot of people have been asking the same: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story...437&cc=5901

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle6426983.ece

Gabriele Marcotti, European Football Correspondent

Now that Florentino Pérez appears to have delivered on his election promise and Kaká is bound for the Bernabéu, you may be wondering just how Real Madrid's business model allows them to compete with the Premier League.

Without a Russian oligarch or Arab sheikh, where do Real find the money to outspend everyone? For a start, Real are a massive club, with possibly the biggest footballing brand name in the world. Not coincidentally, they have topped Deloitte's Money League for each of the past four seasons and they've done so despite doing poorly in the Champions League.

They have the third-highest average attendance in Europe and while their stadium revenue cannot compete with Manchester United, it still packs a punch. They have been extremely aggressive in pursuing sponsorship opportunities, including overseas tours (on several occasions they have held pre-season training camps in places such as Vietnam and China).

Anything else going for them? Oh yes. Their domestic television contract is by far the richest in the world. They are also helped greatly by tax legislation - originally intended for overseas bankers and executives - that allows their foreign players to pay tax at about 23 per cent for the first five years that they are in the country.

This means that, in headline figures, if they want to pay Kaká £8 million after tax, it would cost them less than £10 million a year, whereas it would cost United £16 million (thanks to the new 50p top marginal rate introduced at the last Budget). Over five years, that's a difference of £30 million.

Finally, there's Real's status as, effectively, a non-profit social trust. This means they do not need to generate £30 million a year just to service their debt (like United).

Whatever debt they hold (and detail here is murky) is with local banks, many of whom are under political and social pressure not to tighten the screws. Real are too big and too important to fail or to come under the kind of debt pressures that affect traditional clubs. The club's social, political and economic significance dwarfs that of any other club in the world, with the possible exception of Barcelona. In that sense, they play by a different set of rules.

Just how much is their TV contract worth? Well, according to the club, in 2006 they signed a seven-year deal with MediaPro guaranteeing €1.1 billion (now about £956 million) for their domestic league TV rights. At least, that's Real's version of events: MediaPro has never disclosed the figure and some dispute the amount. But, if it is true, they earn £135 million a season from their domestic league rights, more than twice what United receive.

How does the structure of the club differ from other leading sides? Real are one of four Spanish clubs - the others are Barcelona, Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao - who were exempted from a 1991 law forcing teams to become plcs. This means they hold regular elections to determine who will lead the club. The president then selects his board and appoints his men to key positions within the club.

So what do you need to do to get elected? To stand for election you have to be a Spanish citizen who has been a club member for at least ten years. And, crucially, you have to submit a deposit equal to 15 per cent of the club's budget, or about £50 million. (But you don't need to come up with the cash yourself, you just need a bank to vouch for you.) Once that's done, you campaign, just like in any other election, and, ultimately, it's the members who decide.

Now that Pérez has been elected, does he have to fund the club? No. In fact, he's not allowed to. He simply runs the club. Of course, Pérez is one of the wealthiest men in Europe, with wide-ranging business interests. No doubt he can leverage them to help the club, particularly when it comes to their relationship with banks and sponsors. Ultimately, though, he cannot finance the club. And, of course, he's not supposed to benefit from it financially.

What's up? How can Real make those purchases, are they using Monopoly money?

Seriously, how can they make those expenditures? Are the payments to be made in installments over a long period of time?

Apparently Manure insisted that the Ronaldo money was paid as a lum sum up front.

I'm sure that they will sell a few of their players to make up for the spending, but when they've spunked their entire wad on all their attacking players already, they will not be able to demand as much as they'd like for any attacking player whom they try to offload.

I think Real could benefit from signing our Percy!

Really surprised Real beat ManU on this one, 32 Millions is not that big of a fee considering all the hype. I guess Raul will be playing at Centre back if he wants a game next season ;)

so let me get this straight, does this mean benzema SNUBBED utd? lets see how the media handle this then...

so let me get this straight, does this mean benzema SNUBBED utd? lets see how the media handle this then...

HEAVENS NO. When a team with all the calibre and pedigree of Real Madrid comes in, and offers less money for a player, and the player takes that offer instead of moving to the all-conquering Man U thats called, well, emm, err, uhh.......lacking ambition?

so let me get this straight, does this mean benzema SNUBBED utd? lets see how the media handle this then...

Believe it or not, SSN just ran a story about Benzema snubbing Man Utd. They didn't actually say snubbed, but that he chose real over Man U and how Man U "missed their man!" They then went on to talk about Man U looking at Owen!!! And how they may sign him in a capacity similar to that of Henrik Larsson

http://www.goal.com/en/news/596/exclusive/...sfer-assault-on

"Now that Real Madrid have completed their attacking department, I think they will make a charge for Maicon," the agent told Goal.com.

Probably not deserving a new topic but it seems they're making a push for Maicon

I very much doubt that would happen since they have Sergio Ramos, remember out of all these big summer signings they have got a bargain in Raul Albiol for 13mill.