Manchester City have one of the most attractive attacking units in Europe at the moment but the depth in the squad is an issue for Pep Guardiola, who is now looking to add some star names to his squad in the summer transfer window.
While defence and midfield will be an area of concern for the league leaders, the manager is also looking to improve on his first team and has been linked to some of the finest stars in Europe. One such player, Pep is reportedly set to make a move for at the end of the season is French international Karim Benzema.
A product of the academy at Lyon, Benzema who scored 43 goals in 112 Ligue 1 appearances for the French giants, moved to Real Madrid in 2011 and has never looked back. He took his time to establish himself in the first team but has been integral in winning two La Liga titles and three Champions League titles in his time in Spain.
He also has four league titles to his name in France and stands as one of the most established and decorated strikers in Europe at the moment. However, reports recently claim that Florentino Perez is desperate for a squad overhaul in the summer and is ready to replace Benzema with Robert Lewandowski for the next season.
This will push the French ace out of the club and this has seen the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City all linked with a move for him at the end of the season. But is the right man for City?
With a record of 127 goals and 79 assists in 267 La Liga appearances to add to 53 goals and 25 assists in 100 Champions League appearances and 27 goals in 81 appearances for the French national side, the 30-year old is easily one of the most consistent goals scorers in the last few years in Europe.
He is a smart player, with strength, pace and skill enough to beat even the best of the defences in the game. He is a deadly finisher and can also play as a target man, but is at his best when involved in build-up play to break down stubborn backlines that sit deep. His return of four goals and 8 assists in 18 league starts this season may prove that he has lost a bit of his charisma but at just 30, he still has at least a couple of years at the top of his game.
City have Sergio Aguero in their ranks, who is similar to Benzema and Pep has no reason to sign the French international till he has the Argentine at his disposal. It is hard to see Benzema and Aguero fight for one place with Gabriel Jesus at Etihad so till Aguero is sold, Benzema is just a backup plan for the Citizens.
