How Benzema nearly signed for Man Utd
Martin Macdonald
- Updated: 13 Apr 2022 10:24 BST
- 3 min read
Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson nearly signed Karim Benzema for the club back in 2008.
Fourteen years ago, Benzema was earning his reputation as one of the best wonderkids in world football with Lyon.
In a match against Man Utd in the Champions League, he displayed his early quality with a fabulous turn and instinctive finish into the bottom corner.
It was after that match that Ferdinand had a conversation with Ferguson regarding a potential swoop for Benzema.
TRENDING
Speaking ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash against Chelsea on Tuesday, Ferdinand told BT Sport:
"The first time I played against him was 2008, and that was the first time I had seen him up close and personal. If you see the goal he scored against us, look how many players are around him, but all he needed was one touch, it was all one motion.
"I remember coming off the pitch and Sir Alex Ferguson said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m trying to get him’.
"But with his African connections, [like compatriot and hero Zinedine Zidane] and how influential Real Madrid were, he chose them.
"I think looking back, Sir Alex will believe that is one of his biggest regrets not getting him to sign for the club."
Why did Benzema choose Real Madrid over Man Utd?
Ferdinand believes Benzema chose Real Madrid over Manchester United due to the player's admiration for Zinedine Zidane, a fellow Frenchman with African roots who previously starred at Madrid.
Back in 2019, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas admitted that Man Utd's offer for Benzema was actually more than Madrid's, but that Benzema's "dream" was to play for Los Blancos.
"When Karim was solicited to leave Lyon, we had two offers: Manchester United and Real Madrid," Aulas told beIN Sports three years ago.
"Karim came to see me, and that's where there's relationships that show trust, and told me ‘My dream is to play for Real Madrid.'
"And so he went to Real Madrid for an inferior fee to what we had from Manchester United."
The Frenchman has gone on to enjoy enormous success at Madrid, winning three La Liga titles, four Champions League titles, two Copa del Rey trophies and four Club World Cups.
