Source: Daily_Mail
Karim Benzema wanted by Aston Villa: Real Madrid striker tops Gerrard Houllier wish-list
Gerard Houllier admits he would love to take unsettled Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema to Aston Villa.[LNB]The west Midlands club look set to sign former former Arsenal winger Robert Pires and are also reportedly checking out Panathinaikos striker Djibril Cisse - but a move for Bezema would be a real coup.[LNB]The former Lyon striker has been disappointing since a £35million move to the Bernabeu last year and is firmly behind Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo in Jose Mourinho's pecking order.[LNB] Real deal: Gerard Houllier wants to break the bank with a move for the unsettled Madrid striker Karim Benzema[LNB]Benzema has been restricted to just one La Liga start this season but scored in the Spanish Cup against Real Murcia last week and has been backed, in public at least, by boss Jose Mourinho.[LNB]However, his days in the Spanish capital look numbered if Madrid manage to sign No 1 target Fernando Llorente, the Athletic Bilbao striker. [LNB]After all but giving up on a bid to capture Wayne Rooney from Manchester United, Llorente, 25, is a more achievable signing.[LNB]French revolution: Houllier plans a spending spree to revamp his squad[LNB]Benzema would have no shortage of suitors if he was to leave Madrid, but Houllier has put himself first in the queue for a potential January loan move.[LNB]'If Karim wants to come and play at Aston Villa, we would sign him tomorrow,' Houllier told L'Equipe. [LNB]'We are keen to offer him more first-team opportunities.'[LNB]An alternative would be former Liverpool striker Cisse, but Houllier has ruled out a move for Manchester United striker Michael Owen.[LNB]'In terms of some strikers Emile (Heskey) and John (Carew) will come back (from injury),' said the boss. 'There is no point.'[LNB]But Houllier did confirm: 'We definitely need to sign one or two players in January.'[LNB]One of those appears to be Pires, with well-connected French newspaper L'Equipe saying a deal should be confirmed in the next few days.[LNB]The 37-year-old has been training with his former club Arsenal to keep fit since being released by Spanish side Villarreal last summer.[LNB]There has been no shortage of interest in his services - from as far afield as China - but the winger has been keen to hold out for the right opportunity.[LNB]Previous reports in France suggested that Houllier picked out Pires as a perfect training-ground role model for Villa's crop of talented youngsters such as such as Marc Albrighton, Barry Banna, Nathan Delfouneso and Ciaran Clark.[LNB]But, with injuries depleting the first-team squad, Pires should also get plenty of options to play.[LNB] On the move: Free agent Pires has been training with former club Arsenal in his bid to secure a new team[LNB]Leicester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson was also keen on the 1998 World Cup winner, but dropping down to the npower Championship would have been a difficult decision.[LNB]Talking last month, Pires said: 'If I have an opportunity from Aston Villa, I will jump at it. But I will analyse any proposition. I don't want to go anywhere and fight every weekend against relegation.[LNB]'England is probably the place where I have the best chance to find a club. In England, people don't look at your age. In Spain it was not the case, which is why I had to move on.'[LNB] Up for grabs: Houllier is keen to bolster his striking options with former Liverpool and Sunderland striker Cisse[LNB]Houllier's hint that he's not on the lookout for a striker is not a view shared by the usually reliable France Football journal, who report there have already been informal contacts about a move for former Liverpool striker Cisse.[LNB]The France international still has a house in England and likes the country - and has returned to fine form since moving to Greece.[LNB] We don't want Owen: Villa boss rules out January swoop for United strikerFletcher backs Villa starlet Bannan to shine for Scotland against the FaroesAston Villa injury list grows as injured knee leaves Dunne on the sidelinesASTON VILLA FC
