Karim Benzema to join Real Madrid from Lyon

By GAEL BERGER,

LYON, France (AP) Lyon agreed to sell France striker Karim Benzema to Real Madrid on Wednesday in a deal worth up to 41 million ($67 million).

Lyon said on its Web site that Madrid will pay a minimum fee of 35 million ($57.4 million), rising to up to 41 million with performance bonuses.

Madrid confirmed a transfer deal was reached, adding that Benzema agreed to a six-year deal. Madrid said on its Web site that Benzema would undergo a medical examination soon.

"Lyon has accepted Karim Benzema's decision and has negotiated the terms of a transfer which satisfies all sides," Lyon said in a statement. "The club wishes Karim the best of success with Real Madrid."

The Spanish club headed off stiff competition from Manchester United to secure a deal for the 21-year-old Benzema, considered one of the most exciting young players in Europe.

Lyon coach Claude Puel said the time had come to sell the club's biggest asset.

"It was an opportunity for Karim Benzema," Puel said. "He certainly thought about the situation, and we decided to grant him his wish. All the sporting and financial aspects were taken into consideration and we decided to let him go."

Puel wants to replace Benzema - who has scored six goals in 24 games for France - with FC Porto's Lisandro Lopez.

"We have lost a player of quality. We will have to replace him," Puel added. "We are working at it and hope that things will become clearer in a few hours. We are working on Lisandro Lopez, but if he doesn't come we have other trails."

He becomes Madrid's third major signing under its ambitious president Florentino Perez, who has spent 209 million ($297 million) on four players since assuming the presidency on June 1.

Madrid has already bought midfielder Kaka from AC Milan, winger Cristiano Ronaldo from United - and defender Raul Albiol from Valencia. Madrid spent a record 80 million pounds (94 million; $131 million) on Ronaldo.

"(Benzema) wishes to take the opportunity offered to him by Real Madrid to become one of the key players in an ambitious new policy involving several of the world's biggest players," Lyon said.

Perez has vowed to bring success back to Madrid. Last season, fierce rival Barcelona won the Spanish domestic double and the Champions League.

On Tuesday, Kaka was given a Hollywood-style welcome in front of 50,000 fans at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Benzema first hinted at a move away from the seven-time French champion in November, saying he wanted to discuss his future with club president Jean-Michel Aulas when the season ended.

"There are a lot of clubs, Barca, Real, but also Manchester United, Milan. They are all big clubs you dream about," Benzema told L'Equipe TV at the time. "I want to progress at the highest level to be among the world's best."

A prolific scorer in Lyon's youth team, Benzema broke into the first team during the 2004-05 season.

He tallied more than 30 goals in the 2007-08 season but failed to make an impact at the 2008 European Championship for a lackluster France which exited the group stages without a win. Benzema was annoyed by coach Raymond Domenech's decision not to pick him against the Netherlands in a match Les Bleus lost 4-1.

Benzema has a prolific strike rate in the Champions League, scoring 12 times in 19 games.

Last season, Lyon could not sustain its bid for an eighth straight title and finished third behind Marseille and new champion Bordeaux.

Having tied Benzema down to a long-term deal until 2013, Aulas fully anticipated Benzema's value on the transfer market.

A good negotiator, Aulas sold midfielders Michael Essien to Chelsea at the start of the 2005-06 season and Mahamadou Diarra to Real Madrid the following season.

AP Sports Writer Paul Logothetis in Madrid contributed.

Updated July 1, 2009

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