The newspaper also reveals that Manchester United was close to signing Benzema in the summer, but Sir Alex Ferguson was not prepared to meet Lyon’s £35million asking price.
City boss Mark Hughes want to sign Benzema in the January transfer window and will offer the 20-year-old striker a £100,000-a-week contract.
Robinho joined City for a British record fee of £32.5million in the summer, but the club is ready to spend more, following their take-over by an group of Arab investors.
