Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is intent on staying in the Spanish capital for now but is open to returning to Olympique Lyonnais.
Benzema moved to Madrid in the summer of 2009 in a worth a reported €41m and he has made 501 appearances for the club since, netting 241 goals.
“I currently am the player I am thanks to Lyon,” Benzema told the ‘OL Night System’ , a program organized by Olympique de Lyon during the coronavirus crisis, as cited as saying by Diario AS.
“Regarding coming back, I could not at the moment because I want to continue making history at Real Madrid – the best club in the world.
“Afterwards, you never know. Finishing my career at Lyon? Why not.”
A report in Diario AS from February claimed the striker was closing in on a contract extension in the Spanish capital for a further 12 months.
The Frenchman’s last contract extension came two years ago and his current deal at the club is due to expire in the summer of 2021.
It is said that the new deal will extend the current contract through by a further 12 months until the summer of 2022, although it will not be made official until the end of the campaign.
Benzema, who celebrated his 32nd birthday in December, has been in a rich vein of form over the course of the past 18 months – he netted 30 goals in total last season and already has 19 in 36 appearances this season.
Of Algerian descent, the frontman has emerged as the most important and in-form player for Madrid since the €100m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in the summer of 2018.
His significance to the current team under Zinedine Zidane is demonstrated by his ever presence in attack and being favoured ahead of €60m summer signing Luka Jovic.
The club are said to be willing to substantially increase his current wage packet but Benzema had been in no hurry to extend his current deal, but is happy at the club.
