Why Benzema could cause Real Madrid to make Haaland and Mbappe transfers

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 21 Mar 2023 13:22 GMT
• 3 min read

The pressure is piling on Real Madrid and Karim Benzema after they succumbed to a loss in El Clasico, leaving them 12 points behind Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

The derby was Los Blancos’ last opportunity to take points off their rivals but Franck Kessie’s late strike gave Barca a 2-1 win, making it just one win in the last four league games for Real and all but handing the title to Xavi’s side.

Real have failed to score more than one goal in five of their last six games, having done it in ten of their last 12 games previously, leading to Barcelona taking control of the La Liga title race.

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Spanish paper AS was critical of Benzema’s performance, with the 35-year-old failing to score with any of his four shots and showcasing his decline from last season.

Benzema’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season and it is believed he will have the opportunity to extend it for another year if he chooses to, with Real lining up a move for either Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland in 2024.

However, the issue in Spain has become whether Real can function another season without an elite number nine and there are now calls for the club to accelerate their plans to sign Mbappe or Haaland this summer.

Real in dire need of striker this summer

Benzema has struggled with fitness and injuries this season on the back of his most prolific campaign ever, where he scored 44 goals in 46 games to win the 2022 Ballon d’Or.

However, by this point last year, the Benzema had grabbed 34 goals and 13 assists, while this year he has scored just 19 goals and created only five more, indicating a decline in his overall performance even when he isn’t scoring.

OPTIONS: Real monitoring Premier League star as Benzema replacement

The club have not had a sufficient backup for Benzema this year, with only Eden Hazard, Mariano and youngster Alvaro Rodriguez capable of filling in during the Frenchman’s absences and they will likely need to sign a striker regardless in the summer.

Haaland is believed to have a release clause of €180 million from next summer, while Mbappe’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires at the same time, although he has an option to extend, which he needs to take up by June of this year.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Real cannot compete with only Benzema next season and the club are considering alternatives, such as Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus, but there is a belief that one of Haaland and Mbappe will eventually end up at Real, indicating that a pursuit this summer for either man is not off the cards.