Man Utd told to repeat Cristiano Ronaldo trick with Karim Benzema amid 'crunch talks'

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has suggested the signing of Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema should be a no-brainer. Benzema appears to have fallen out with his Saudi Arabian club, Al-Ittihad after a matter of months, joining them from Real Madrid last summer.

The Frenchman has been left out of the Saudi club's training camp in Dubai this month, and he is reportedly set for crunch talks with the higher-ups this week, according to HITC. A move could be on the table, and a number of clubs are being linked, even if it is not yet clear how much Benzema would cost this month.

At 36 years of age, the striker is not going to command a huge transfer fee, but wages may be another question altogether. Still, Ferdinand is in favour of United pursuing a deal if they can afford it.

Ferdinand said on his FIVE YouTube show: “Listen, Benzema, how can you say no? We‘re going back to what we’ve done before. We’ve done it with Cristiano [Ronaldo], we’ve done it with [Radamel] Falcao, we’ve done it with [Edinson] Cavani, we’ve done it with Zlatan [Ibrahimovic]. Can we Afford it? Probably not, that’s why I don’t see it, I’d be very surprised."

Ferdinand also believes the signing would help lead United striker Rasmus Hojlund, who has struggled for goals since completing his big-money move during rhe summer. Though, the 20-year-old has walked into a tricky situation at Old Trafford, and he could do with more confidence and a lot less pressure as he continues his development.

Ferdinand thinks as much, adding: "What I would say is that the one person that needs that [Benzema’s arrival] more than anyone else right now is [Rasmus] Hojlund. He needs somebody to look and learn from." While United may find themselves in the conversation, a number of clubs have been linked with Benzema, including Arsenal and Chelsea, though there are indications that the latter are not pursuing a deal this month.