Liverpool Transfer News: Karim Benzema Talks Reported, Fee Named by Madrid

Real Madrid have told Liverpool they can sign Karim Benzema for a fee of £38.8 million in January, as reported by Spanish outlet Fichajes (via Metro).

The latter publication indicates Benzema is "a key January transfer window target for Liverpool," who are looking to sign a "world-class striker" when the winter market opens.

Benzema is equipped with everything needed to make it in the Premier League—pace, power and creativity—but his arrival would cast serious doubt over the futures of Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert.

Brendan Rodgers' faith in the Italian is yet to pay off. Balotelli has scored once in six appearances, but more worryingly, he has failed to fit into a side that is geared to feed him the ball. He is a wasteful striker, as noted by Sky Sports:

While always destined to be a bit-part player, Lambert has also failed to impress during his run of substitute performances. He appears off the pace and perhaps slightly unfit, having lost much of the spark he omitted during five terrific years with Southampton.

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Benzema's game continues to develop at the Bernabeu. He provides an important spearhead to Carlo Ancelotti's attack and works hard in a centre-forward's role, allowing Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to sprint beyond his position by holding the ball up.

The Frenchman is a proven goalscorer and has three goals in seven appearances across La Liga and the Champions League this season, per WhoScored.com. Ancelotti recently hinted that Benzema's ability to create opportunities is more important than him hitting the back of the net, such is the power of Ronaldo, per Tim Hanlon of Reuters (via the Daily Mail): "He needs to work as he always has done and not feel any pressure about scoring. There is no need for him to worry that Cristiano has scored four goals. The only thing that he needs to think about is helping the team to play better and give solutions in attack."

Benzema netted the winner over Ludogorets on Wednesday night, but it's his ability to assist goals that continues to impress the most. He has set up three already this campaign and is often prominent in the buildup play which leads to goals, even if he doesn't play the final pass himself.

This attribute is something Balotelli lacks at Liverpool, where his lack of cohesion with the rest of the team once again showed itself during the side's defeat to Basel, per football writer Daniel Storey:

Rodgers is the right man to improve Balotelli's overall play, but Liverpool fans will no doubt be worried about the striker's career-long association with a lack of discipline.

This is a player who is often defined by what he does off the pitch, meaning there's always the air of sideshow when he steps onto the turf. Balotelli has already appeared petty at Liverpool—his constant willingness to hit the deck and failure to applaud his own fans ranking up there, per Dominic King of the Daily Mail—meaning he needs to find some significant form quickly.

Daniel Sturridge's return should significantly aid his progress, so it is too early to write off the 24-year-old.

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Benzema's arrival would effectively do this, however. Rodgers is already struggling to accommodate his wealth of attacking talent and would be forced into sacrificing squad members if the Madrid star is to arrive for the aforementioned fee.

Liverpool are already subject to Financial Fair Play investigation under UEFA's new rules, per BBC Sport, and they cannot afford to spend massively without seeing a return the other way. Benzema's potential fee is typical in the current climate, but £38.8 million could be seen as a risk for a player whose goalscoring often remains streaky.

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