The France international is expected to leave Lyon at the end of the season and has been linked with several clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City.
“He is an excellent footballer,” Fergie told Le Journal du Dimanche.
“He reminds me of (Zinedine) Zidane in the way that he uses his body. He has broad shoulders and a great drive when he has the ball at his feet.
“You always have to keep your eye on the very best players, seeing how they evolve. But I have never said that I want to buy him.
“When we played Lyon last season (in the UEFA Champions League), chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told me: ‘Chelsea have made a 50million Euros (£44m) offer for Benzema.’ I told him: ‘For such a fee, I will let Chelsea have him.”
