United target Benzema should Rooney leave this summer.
Manchester United have targeted Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema as a potential replacement for Wayne Rooney, according to The Sun.
New boss David Moyes is expected to discuss Rooney’s future when he arrives at the club, with speculation earlier this week suggesting the England international has requested a transfer.
The 27-year-old supposedly met with Sir Alex Ferguson a fortnight ago to discuss his future, revealing his displeasure with being played out of position and being benched for key games.
Despite the arrival of the former Everton manager who gave him his senior debut at the age of 16 at Goodison Park, it is unclear as to whether the arrival of Moyes will have changed his mind.
It is the second time in three years that Rooney has made noise about leaving the club, although this time he has stopped short of handing in a written transfer request.
However, should he decide it is time to leave Old Trafford, United have identified Benzema as an ideal replacement, with Rooney collecting a transfer fee of around £25m, reports suggest they will use the money to sign Benzema for around £30m.
The Frenchman has two years left on his current deal with the Spanish giants, and United have previously attempted to sign him before he completed his move from Lyon to Madrid back in 2009.
With a managerial change abound and rumours of movement in the transfer market to strengthen their title-winning squad, it promises to be an interesting summer in the red half of Manchester.
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