Real Madrid Transfer News: Karim Benzema Must Be Untouchable in January Window

Karim Benzema is once again being linked with a move away from Real Madrid, but the French striker should be one of manager Carlo Ancelotti's untouchables once the January transfer window opens.

Fans of Los Blancos had to endure rumours about the France international potentially leaving throughout the summer, and speculation never truly died down once the window closed. As reported by the Express' Charles Perrin, the rumours are back.

Perrin claims Real are looking at Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller, and that Ancelotti is open to moving Benzema in favour of the German providing a substantial offer is made for the Frenchman's services.

We've heard these kinds of rumours before, and every single time they've made little sense. Ancelotti has been doing his very best to praise the in-form striker in recent weeks—there's no reason whatsoever to believe he would entertain the idea of a sale.

Here's what he told reporters on Friday, as reported by AFP (for FIFA.com): "Karim's form is a reflection of the team's form, good on every level. Karim is being boosted by the team, but the team is also being boosted by Karim, not only because of his goals but also because of his all-around performance."

Those are not the words of a manager looking to move a player. And why would he want to? Benzema has scored 13 goals in 19 appearances this season, according to WhoScored.com, adding six assists for good measure.

The 26-year-old has been in phenomenal form, and people have noticed. His ability as a passer and a target man makes him a perfect fit for Real's offensive system. ESPN FC's Lee Roden loves his ability to get his teammates involved:

In the past, the knock on Benzema was often that he wasn't a pure scorer. But that's not his job in Ancelotti's formation, and as his scoring form shows this season, it's also blatantly untrue.

Bleacher Report UK's Samuel Marsden recently devoted an entire article to the simple truth that Benzema isn't going anywhere:

In the article, he elaborated:

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There was a time when Benzema stories may have carried credibility.

For several years he was in and out of the Madrid side because there wasn't enough room for him and Gonzalo Higuain to be paired together.

However, with Higuain shipped off to Napoli, Benzema has established himself as a regular in a Madrid side which has just recorded 16 wins in a row—breaking a club record in the win over Malaga on Saturday.

With Javier Hernandez at the club on loan from Manchester United acting as back-up, there's now a clear hierarchy among Madrid's two strikers.

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Los Blancos are on one of the best runs in club history and are dominating La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. As of right now, there's no single striker in world football who fits Ancelotti's philosophy better than the man he already fields.

Even if Ancelotti were interested in Muller, who is a fine player in his own right and an interesting fit for Real, selling Benzema would be too risky. The balance is there right now—why risk upsetting it by letting the Frenchman walk?

No, the Italian manager knows all too well he can't afford to drop Benzema right now. And he won't. It's high time the rumours came to an end: Benzema is not going anywhere.

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