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🇹🇷 Turkey /Sports

Lyon sporting director reveals Karim Benzema contact: “It was almost a dream”

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Lyon sporting director Matthieu Louis-Jean said the club made contact with Karim Benzema through an intermediary during the summer.
  • Louis-Jean called the transfer “almost a dream” but said contractual issues made it impossible to pursue.
  • He said Lyon instead worked on a move for striker Loïs Openda, while Benzema remained under contract with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.

Karim Benzema's possible return to Lyon was “almost a dream,” according to the club's sporting director, Matthieu Louis-Jean. He said Lyon made contact with the French striker through an intermediary this summer, but the discussions went no further.

It was almost a dream. We had contact through an intermediary this summer. It did not go any further; because of contractual issues, it was impossible.

· Matthieu Louis-JeanLyon's sporting director described the club's contact with Karim Benzema.

“Contractual issues” made the move impossible, Louis-Jean told the French press. He also said Lyon did not persist because the club needed a fast striker and was working on a deal for Loïs Openda.

Louis-Jean added that Benzema still had a contract with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, another reason Lyon did not continue pressing for the transfer. Benzema had left Al Hilal and his next destination had become a subject of interest.

We did not continue because we needed a fast striker and we were working on Openda.

· Matthieu Louis-JeanLouis-Jean explained why Lyon pursued Loïs Openda instead.

The 38-year-old forward recorded 10 goals and five assists in 16 appearances for Al Hilal, according to the article.

He still has a contract with the federation, so we did not insist.

· Matthieu Louis-JeanThe sporting director cited Benzema's contract with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
About this summary

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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