Karim Benzema to AC Milan? Now That’s Just Unrealistic

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 02: Karim Benzema of Real Madrid celebrates during their La Liga match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on 02 April 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Power Sport Images/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 02: Karim Benzema of Real Madrid celebrates during their La Liga match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on 02 April 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Power Sport Images/Getty Images)

The European football rumor mills are back in full swing with the summer transfer window less than two months away. And as we’ve become accustomed to seeing recently, a Real Madrid star is rumored to be on his way out of the Spanish capital. This time, it’s Karim Benzema. Ben Sundock tells you why Benzema to AC Milan is one of the most unrealistic rumors to surface this season.

Karim Benzema has been tied to several clubs over the course of this up and down campaign in 2016/2017, yet the most obscure and outlandish rumor of any is this rumor circulating of Benzema being tied to Italian giants AC Milan.

The 18-time Serie A winners have seen a recent slip in their dominance of Italy, winning their last league title in the 2010/2011 season, and struggling off the field with financial problems.

But, a recent “financial takeover” by Chinese investors, Han Yi and Yongong Li, that is supposed to be completed some time this week, has brought the idea of Benzema moving to Milan to the spotlight.

Karim Benzema has shared minutes with Spanish striker, Alvaro Morata, who has accumulated nearly 1,000 minutes in La Liga, despite starting only 10 games. Yet, Morata has outscored Benzema 11 to 9, despite the Frenchman playing over 500 minutes more minutes than Morata, and, starting 9 more games and making 5 more overall appearances than the 24 year-old Morata.

AC Milan have several options of quality forwards at their disposal, with 30 year-old Carlos Bacca leading the team in goals , promising 23 year-old Suso appearing in nearly every game, and Everton loanee Gerard Deulofeu finding his form, Benzema going to Milan makes literally no sense.

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Bacca and Suso have combined to score 21 of Milan’s 47 league goals this season, and with Deulofeu coming into form shortly before the end of his loan, drawing enough interest that FC Barcelona and Milan have enquired about retaining the Spaniards services.

AC Milan directors Marco Fassone and Massimo Mirabelli are preparing an offer for Benzema, who’s contract with Real Madrid runs until the summer of 2019, meaning Milan would have to shell out a larger amount of money than expected despite Benzema’s age and recent struggles in finding the back of the net.

The interest in Benzema will prove to Real manager Zinedine Zidane that his countryman is deserving in staying at the club, and deserving of playing time.

Benzema has been tied to English clubs Chelsea and Arsenal in the past, and was reportedly very close to making a switch in uniforms over the summer prior to this season.

Even if the Chinese investors in charge of the AC Milan takeover want to make Benzema their biggest star and largest paid player at the club, I just don’t see a way the Big Benz moves from Real Madrid, a club he has spent so much time at, to move to a struggling club in what many consider to be a less competitive league in Italy.

I personally don’t see Karim leaving Real Madrid before his contract expires. If he is to leave, it will be at the conclusion of his current contract with the Spanish giants. I could definitely see Benzema leaving Madrid much like Pepe is set to do this summer, honoring his deal, but leaving for bigger money elsewhere to close out his career.

Benzema is 29 years-old, and once his contract with Real Madrid expires in the summer of 2019, he will be nearly 32 yeas old, considerably old for a striker.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Benzema, AC Milan rumors!