Florentino Perez ready to sell Karim Benzema for €80 million - Reports

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has set an €80 million price tag on striker Karim Benzema if PSG want to sign him, according to Spanish outlet El Nacional.

With Kylian Mbappe likely to go in the opposite direction on a free transfer this summer, the Parisians want to lure his French teammate, promising him an exorbitant salary. Benzema's contract with Los Blancos runs till 2023, but the Ligue 1 giants don't want to wait to snap him up on a Bosman.

Mbappe's departure would leave a void in the striker's department, so the 34-year-old Benzema has been identified as a replacement. PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi has the Los Blancos man on his list of priorities for the summer, and could go for him with all guns blazing.

Today is 17 years since Karim Benzema made his professional football debut 👑

Some of the attacking talent he's played alongside 😍 https://t.co/I8x8jgrFcL

Benzema has been Real Madrid's best and most consistent player in the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era. Since the 2018-19 season, the French international has scored 111 goals across competitions in 175 appearances, and has chipped in with 50 assists too.

Karim Benzema is an important player for the team, but Perez doesn't consider him indispensable. However, he will only accept offers for Benzema if a prospective buyer meets the club's asking price for the 34-year-old.

Should PSG pull off this transfer, it will be the second consecutive year when they would rope in a player from the Santiago Bernabeu. They signed Sergio Ramos on a free transfer last summer.

Karim Benzema to start against PSG

Karim Benzema is set to start for Real Madrid tonight against PSG in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg in Paris.

The Frenchman's participation in the game was doubtful because of a hamstring injury he sustained about three weeks ago. Although he hasn't fully recovered yet, the striker is all set to play at the Parc des Princes from the off, against medical advice.

🚨🌕| Karim Benzema will start vs PSG tonight AGAINST the medical staff's advice. @RodrigoFaez via @gerardromero #rmalive

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti doesn't have any solid options to replace Benzema, so his task will be cut out without the striker. However, there's a risk of Benzema aggravating his injury, which could see him on the sidelines for more games.

The Frenchman has struck only twice in four games against PSG - both coming in a 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu in November 2019.