Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has agreed to new terms with the club, extending his contract by one-year at the Santiago Bernabéu until 2020.
For his consistency at the Spanish club, Madrid has rewarded the French striker with an improvement in his terms. The 32-year-old has bagged16 goals in 23 appearances this season. He is currently second in the La Liga top scorers list with 12, behind only Lionel Messi. Benzema has been with the club for more than ten years making nearly 500 appearances and scoring 238 goals in the process.
Benzema has been linked with a move away from the club in the past, with Paris-Saint Germain and Arsenal rumoured to be interested in the striker, but a deal never materialised. The Frenchman’s current deal, which he penned back in 2017, is set to expire in the summer of 2021. Now the Frenchman has now sealed his stay at the Spanish capital
And according to Marca, Benzema has agreed an improved contract which will also see him handed a wage increase. The two parties are thought to have already finalised all the details, but the actual extension will only be confirmed in the summer.
The paper added that the one-year extension was Benzema’s own request, as he is aware he will be 34 years old by the time his new contract will come to an end. And he does not want to force the club to continue paying him if he is no longer good enough. If he can continue at his current level, then it is suggested that Benzema could remain at the Bernabéu for even longer, but that decision will only be made further down the line.
Understandably, Real see him as a key player in the current squad and they are keen to reward him for his improved stature. The Frenchman has undoubtedly been the star of the current season – no other Real player has scored more than three league goals – and the club believe he could be in some of the best form of his career.
The relationship between Benzema and club officials is thought to be about as perfect as you could possibly find. President Florentino Pérez is said to be a huge fan of the striker, so this new deal appears to benefit everyone involved.
