With the summer transfer window only a few months away, Real Madrid will have to start addressing the contract situations of several important players whose current deals expire in June.
Toni Kroos and Nacho Fernandez are expected to make a decision on whether they sign a new deal or not in the coming weeks, while Luka Modric is quite relaxed about the situation.
Dani Ceballos and Marco Asensio could be handed new deals, although their continuity would likely depend on the roles they are offered in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans. Meanwhile, Mariano Diaz is certain to leave as a free agent.
That leaves Karim Benzema as the final player on the list of Real Madrid stars whose contracts expire in the summer. And, according to MARCA, the Merengues’ captain will sign a new deal with the club until the summer of 2024.
The 35-year-old hitman enjoyed a spectacular 2021/22 campaign which led to him winning the Ballon d’Or last year. However, injuries have threatened to play spoilsport in his current season, with the striker missing a good chunk of matches for Los Blancos.
Despite that, Benzema, when fit, has been invaluable for Real Madrid, as was evident in their recent 5-2 trouncing of Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.
In 24 matches this term, the Frenchman has netted 18 goals and set up five more. When he scored against Liverpool on Tuesday, he became the first-ever Real Madrid player to score a goal in as many as six competitions in a single season.
On top of that, Benzema also became the only player along with Lionel Messi to find the back of the net in 18 consecutive seasons in the UEFA Champions League.
It is pretty clear that despite his advancing age and recent fitness issues, Benzema continues to stand out as a top player and remains key for Real Madrid.
So, a new contract for one more year would be the right way to go about things for the Spanish giants. And, as per the report, Benzema is likely to renew until the summer of 2024 initially.
With plans to rope in a backup for him in the summer, it could Benzema stay at Real Madrid beyond next year as well.