Luis Suarez has lifted the lid on a potential transfer twist, revealing that Karim Benzema was close to joining Arsenal before his own move to Barcelona in 2014.
In attempting to finance a move for the Uruguayan, Real had put Benzema up for sale – with Arsenal close to sealing a deal for the Frenchman. Speaking to DelSol, Suarez said: “Before the 2014 World Cup, Real Madrid wanted to sign me, and everything was on track.
“They were planning to sell Benzema to Arsenal; it was all done. When the World Cup started, Barca joined the race, and obviously I preferred Barca. With the bite situation, Madrid lowered their interest, and Barca became more interested… In the end I had both options and I chose Barca because it was my dream.”
However, Barcelona entered the race for Suarez during the 2014 World Cup, swaying the Uruguayan striker due to his “dream” of playing for the Blaugrana. Real Madrid’s interest reportedly cooled following the Luis Suarez biting incident at the World Cup, further opening the door for Barcelona.
Ultimately, Suarez had the choice between both Spanish giants and opted fo Barcelona. Benzema, meanwhile, remained at Real Madrid, where he has since become a club legend.