Ancelotti made enquiry for Benzema and Hakimi
Serie A outfit Napoli are set to begin a new era under the management of former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Reports are rife that the Italian paid a visit to Madrid last week to engage in discussions on the possibility of signing some players with Real Madrid’s general director Jose Angel Sanchez.
Reports suggest that Carlo Ancelotti made enquiries on the likelihood of signing Real Madrid duo Achraf Hakimi and center-forward Karim Benzema.
However, it is possible that Real Madrid may not consider any offers for the Frenchman due to the reported uncertainties surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s stay at the club, as they will be waiting to see how developments on the future of the Portuguese star pan out in the summer transfer window.
Regardless, Karim Benzema will likely have a say on his departure from the club if an opportunity arises, although there are no indications that the Frenchman is ready to call it quits at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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However, Carlo Ancelotti and Napoli also appear to have been late in indicating an interest in Achraf Hakimi as the youngster who represented Morocco in the ongoing Russia 2018 World Cup is set to join Bundesliga and Signal Iduna Park outfit Borussia Dortmund on a loan deal.
A report from La Gazzetta dello Sport also suggests that Ancelotti may be readying a bid of €40 million to force Madrid’s hand to sell Benzema.
The report also claimed that the Frenchman will also accept to lower his wage demands in a possible deal with Napoli that will run till 2021.
Should Ronaldo decide to leave the Santiago Bernabeu, it’s obvious that Benzema will not be the perfect replacement for the consistent Portuguese goal machine.
This could be one of the factors that may play to Napoli’s advantage in their quest to get their man, as Madrid might decide to end their persistence with Benzema and consider getting a more prolific goalscorer, alongside one of the widely reported likely replacements for Ronaldo.
Meanwhile, Napoli might need to offer more than €40 million if they aim to successfully force the hand of the Madrid hierarchy to sell Benzema.
The French striker has proven to be untouchable in the Real Madrid setup despite his penchant for blowing hot and cold in some parts of a football season.