Al-Ittihad striker Karim Benzema is keen on a return to European football and Manchester United are interested in signing him this month.
Benzema ended his 14-year spell with Real Madrid last June to sign a three-year deal reportedly worth £86million-a-season with the Saudi Pro League side.
The 36-year-old has scored 12 goals in his 20 appearances in the Middle East, but problems have begun to emerge for him in Saudi.
Benzema failed to show up for the start of Al-Ittihad’s pre-season campaign last Friday.
This meant the rest of the team travelled to Dubai without him over the weekend.
Head coach, Marcelo Gallardo has ordered Benzema not to join up with his teammates, leaving the player’s future in doubt.
United are one of the clubs interested in offering the former Ballon d’Or winner a route back to Europe with the Premier League side expecting a response in the coming weeks.
Manchester United alongside Benzema have reportedly shortlisted three ‘low-cost’ attackers to sign this January transfer window. The three players are Erik Choupo-Moting and Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich and Serhou Guirassy of VfB Stuttgart.
Erik ten Hag’s side are eyeing low-cost options to bolster their attacking third in the second half of the season.
Manchester United have not really impressed in the attacking third this season, losing 14 matches across all competitions.
That include nine defeats in the Premier League, where they currently sit in seventh position in the log.
Man United are 14 points behind leaders Liverpool after 20 games.
The Red Devils have scored just 22 times in the league.
To fund the transfer of the attacker and free up space on the wages for other new arrivals, Manchester United are open to selling four of their players in the January transfer window
The four players are Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial, and Casemiro.
Man United manager Erik ten Hag is keen to strengthen his squad next but the Red Devils need to sell some of their players to bolster their transfer budget.
