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Real Madrid reportedly want Karim Benzema to 'guide' his compatriot Kylian Mbappe after he joins Los Blancos from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this summer. As per Cuatro.com, the La Liga champions are confident of signing the 23-year-old forward with his contract with the Ligue 1 champions expiring in the summer.
If he does join, Los Blancos will want France and Real Madrid veteran Benzema to help guide Mbappe into the new club and country. Both players, while being compatriots, are also friends and can certainly make a deadly pairing on the pitch.
This was evident in France's UEFA Nations League triumph in October 2021. Both players scored a goal each in their 2-1 win over Spain in the final.
However, the 34-year-old striker will perhaps have to renew his contract with the Spanish club for any of this to happen. His current contract has an extension until the summer of 2023. As per the aforementioned report, both parties will negotiate a new contract as Benzema is not happy with the current offer.
If that doesn't happen, interestingly, PSG would be interested in signing the veteran to replace Mbappe. However, it is likely the the Real Madrid striker will stay at the club.
Karim Benzema can make for a brilliant guide for PSG's Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid
Benzema started showing his prowess as a lethal goalscorer in the last few years, despite being an excellent attacker throughout his career. He has been receiving great plaudits for it. He is arguably the hottest favorite for the 2022 Ballon d'Or with 43 goals and 14 assists in 43 matches across competitions, with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool being a fierce competitor.
However, this wasn't always the case for the prolific striker. He joined Real Madrid from Lyon in 2009 for around €41 million and took his time in getting started at the club.
He often played second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo. Even after settling in, he was booed by the demanding Madrid crowd when his form dipped at times.
This might be new to Mbappe, who has always been supported by the fans, be it at PSG or AS Monaco. While it is expected that he will do so at the Santiago Bernabeu as well, Benzema could be a good guide if things don't start well for the youngster.
Moreover, the duo, along with Vinicius Jr., could potentially form one of the most lethal trios in world football.
