I think the updated evaluation of him as a player was justified. After a year or two of competition with Higuain he won that role as Real’s main center forward primarily for his ability to be a foil for Ronaldo and facilitate his goal scoring threat in a way that Higuain couldn’t. Then when Ronaldo left and Benzema became a primary goal threat it was made clear how much he’d sacrificed himself to play that role, and revealed the true breadth of his abilities. The way he’s stayed this good this late into his career is also worth updating the evaluation on him on as a player.
Was Bobby more of an option to be Benzema’s backup and share minutes with him or would they view him as a starting 11 player for next season. Not sure.
Sort of a quality short term option before they go back in big for the likes of Mbappe or Haaland or whoever of that calibre.
Depends from which part of their career (mostly in Benzema’s case) and what type do you want, because they’re different. Benzema is arguably the world’s best behind Messi at purely linking the game in the final third. Lewandowski’s consistency as a goalscorer is phenomenal, even if it was mostly in the Bundesliga, hence why I think he seeked for a move to a prestigious league.
Comparing both players at their peak, I’d give Benzema a little advantage, because he proved he can both connect the attack and score a high number of goals. Over a whole career though, Lewa has been probably more consistent in what he does. Absolute machine.
Not a lot of top out and out strikers out there at the moment. Madrid, Bayern, Chelsea and United all seem to be in the market for one of them this summer.
I guess Vlahovic is the one that might be easiest to get given the situation at Juve. Other than him, Osimhen, Kane and Lautaro Martinez are about the only ones with the stature to go be the new number nine for someone like Real.
Maybe they get a stop gap whilst they wait for Haaland senior to be ready to shift Dolph Lundgren on for his next pay day. Wonder if Mane might be an option. Not an out and out nine but did well for us and looks to be available this summer.
‘Vous êtes de la merde dans un bas de soie’ as Napoleon once said to De Talleyrand (You’re shit in a silk stocking). That’s how I value Benzema as a human being.
Brilliant player though, and one who got only better with time going by. It takes something to stay at such a top level, at such a notoriously difficult club like Madrid, and even getting better in the process. Fair dues, he’s a top dog. As a player.
Lukas Daschner from St. Pauli to Bochum on a free.
Finn Dahmen from Mainz to Augsburg on a free.
Patric Pfeiffer from Darmstadt to Augsburg on a free.
Diogo Leite from Porto to Union Berlin for €7.5m.
Niels Nkounkou from Everton to St. Etienne for €2m.
Marek Hamsik has retired from football.