Benzema eyes Madrid move

'I like Real Madrid – in the future, we'll see what happens'

The shadow of the Bernabeu has once again fallen over Old Trafford after Manchester United target Karim Benzema admitted that he harbours ambitions of a move to Real Madrid.

The France striker, 20, who was voted Ligue 1 player of the year this season after underlining his status as the central player in the 4-3-3 formation of champions Lyon, has been openly coveted for some time by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, in a move that will add insult to perceived injury from the perspective of Ferguson, who has been infuriated by Madrid’s wooing of Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema has spoken of his desire to gain further experience with Lyon before plying his trade at the Bernabeu.

“I like Real Madrid, but I think that I’m still too young to sign for a club like that,” said Benzema. “I think that I need to get more experience and I’d like to help Lyon be a European champion. Then, in the future, we’ll see what happens.”

Benzema, whose technique, vision and Algerian descent have drawn comparisons with Zinedine Zidane, recently signed a contract extension with Lyon to keep him at the Stade Gerland until 2013.