Benzema to take Madrid past €200m

A day after €68m signing Kaká was presented at the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid CF have continued their spending with the capture of Karim Benzema from Olympique Lyonnais for at least €35m more, taking the club's summer outlay beyond €200m.

'Ambitious project'
French international striker Benzema is expected to sign a six-year contract in the coming days after Madrid and Lyon agreed a figure that could rise to €41m depending on clauses. The Ligue 1 club announced in a statement: "The player wants to take advantage of the opportunity on offer at Real Madrid and to become one of the main components in the club's new and ambitious project."

Heady rise
Those ambitions have seen Madrid, under new coach Manuel Pellegrini, shell out a combined total of over €200m for four players already this summer, the 21-year-old Benzema poised to join Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo (€94) and Spain international defender Raúl Albiol (€15m) at the Bernabéu. It ends a host of transfer speculation surrounding a player who made his debut for hometown club Lyon as a 17-year-old in 2005. Having quickly established himself as a regular in the first team, the striker went on to claim four French league titles and a French Cup as well as ending the 2007/08 season as the top scorer in Ligue 1 with 20 goals. He mustered 17 in a disappointing campaign for OL last term.