Ferguson wanted Benzema and Ben Arfa: the impossible call to Manchester United in 2009

Alex Ferguson wanted Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa at Manchester United in summer 2009, confirmed Karim Djaziri, the legendary former agent of « KB9 ». The two French players ultimately took different paths, leaving the Scottish manager without either of the two players he coveted.

After his years at Olympique Lyonnais, Benzema was on the radar of Europe’s biggest clubs. Ferguson travelled in person to oversee the future 2022 Ballon d’Or winner and left convinced: he wanted both French forwards, whom he nicknamed the « Ben Brothers ».

« Karim and Hatem, it was magic. If it could have lasted, I think it could have become the best pair in the history of football. They made their debuts at the same time for the France national team, and they dazzled everyone. I remember Ferguson telling me, after a match where he came to watch Karim, that he wanted the ‘Ben Brothers’. He wanted both of them. He also thought it could become one of the best duos in the history of football. At the time, it was obvious, » Djaziri said.

Benzema ultimately opted for Real Madrid, and it fell to Djaziri to break the news to Ferguson. A moment he describes as the most difficult of his career as an agent.

« The hardest day of my career as an agent was when I had to call Ferguson to tell him that Karim had chosen Real. I was afraid of his reaction, because I was also negotiating for Gabriel Obertan… But, to my great surprise, he took it in a very, very classy way. He understood. And he took Obertan. »

This revelation underscores how Benzema’s trajectory — 354 goals in 648 matches with Real Madrid, a Champions League title and a Ballon d’Or in 2022 — could have changed with a few phone calls.