“I want to make sure that he is going to be useful” - Ex-Chelsea star admits he’s willing to call Karim Benzema to seal Stamford Bridge transfer

Former Chelsea defender Frank Lebouef is willing to talk to Karim Benzema to convince him to join the Blues. The Frenchman has been linked with an exit from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United reportedly interested in his services.

According to HITC Football, Benzema has been offered to Chelsea. While on ESPN, Lebouef was asked if he would talk to the former Real Madrid star and urge him to move to Stamford Bridge.

The former France international said that he would first confirm if the striker was fit and willing to get in shape like in his Real Madrid days and then make the request.

“If I call him and reach out to him, then I would ask him ‘how fit he is’ because I want to make sure that he is going to be useful’,” Leboeuf said (via HITC).

He added:

“If Karim Benzema still has the willingness to do his best and get in shape, like he was at Real Madrid, then he is more than welcome and I would urge him to come and score goals for Chelsea, for sure.

“You can’t deny that Karim Benzema, in the last decade, was the best striker in the world. You would love to have the same type of player, at the same level, for Chelsea.”

After joining Al-Ittihad on a Bosman deal in the 2023 transfer window, Benzema has scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 20 games across competitions.

Spanish journalist claims Karim Benzema offered himself to Real Madrid

Spanish journalist Eduardo Inda recently claimed that Karim Benzema misses Real Madrid, and even offered himself to the club.

Speaking to the TV program El Chiringuito, Inda said that even though the French striker is earning much more than he did at the Santiago Bernabeu, he is not happy at Al-Ittihad. He claimed (via Le 10 Sport):

“I was told that Karim Benzema was still offering himself to Real Madrid. He is not happy and it is difficult for him to receive the salary he accepted in Saudi Arabia. He misses Madrid."

Inda added:

"There are no nines at the moment, even though Bellingham is scoring a lot of goals. He is unhappy there. He earns a lot more than in Madrid, but he has difficulty getting paid."

Benzema spent 14 years at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2023, scoring 354 goals and providing 165 assists in 648 matches. He won five Champions League, four La Ligas and a Ballon d'Or during that time.