Manchester United lost another player to Real Madrid yesterday when the Spanish club signed Karim Benzema from Lyons in a deal that takes their recent spending above £184 million.

Real will pay Lyons an initial £29.7 million, with the fee rising to £34.8 million depending on bonus arrangements.

United had registered a firm interest in Benzema, but were reluctant to break their transfer record to sign a 21-year-old striker largely unproven outside France.

The news came on the day that Cristiano Ronaldo’s world-record £80 million move to Real from Old Trafford was formally announced.

Real have also signed Kaká, the Brazil forward, for £56 million from AC Milan, and Raúl Albiol, the Valencia defender, for £13 million. They also have Xabi Alonso, the Liverpool midfield player, in their sights and are expected to sign his team-mate, Álvaro Arbeloa, for £5 million.

Despite claims on Tuesday by a Lyons team-mate that Benzema was close to joining United, the striker, who will sign a six-year contract at the Bernabéu, was said to have his heart set on a move to Spain. “A few days ago, Benzema informed Lyons president Jean-Michel Aulas of his wish to join the Madrid club — the one he has always preferred after Lyons — quicker than he had initially planned,” a statement on the Lyons website said.

United’s only signing has been Antonio Valencia, the Ecuador winger, from Wigan Athletic for £15.25 million. Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, has made it clear privately that he will not pay over the odds, or be forced into signing a striker if the right one is not available, just because of the departures of Ronaldo and Carlos Tévez.

Some well-placed sources have claimed that Ferguson may not even sign a striker this summer and will instead look to Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov to spearhead United’s attack next season. Injuries to either player, however, would leave his front line severely depleted.

Sergio Agüero, the Atlético Madrid forward, continues to be linked with a move to Old Trafford, but United are unlikely to pay the £38.6 million asking price. Chelsea were put off by his £100,000-a-week wage demands.

Decent bets

Inter Milan have expressed an interest in signing William Gallas, the Arsenal defender, in the event that a proposed deal to sign Ricardo Carvalho from Chelsea falls through. Gallas is one of three Arsenal defenders, including Kolo Touré and Philippe Senderos, who are out of contract next summer. Villarreal’s proposed deal to sign Roman Pavlyuchenko is unlikely to succeed, as Tottenham Hotspur want to recoup the £13.8 million they paid Spartak Moscow for the forward last summer.

Dead certs

Liverpool have agreed to sell Sebastián Leto, 22, to Panathinaikos. The Argentine winger was on loan at Olympiacos last season after work-permit problems prevented him from playing for Liverpool, whom he joined from Lanus for £2 million in 2007.

Andrew Surman has signed a three-year contract, with an option of another season, with Wolverhampton Wanderers after the midfield player moved from Southampton for about £1.2 million. Bolton Wanderers have confirmed the signing of Sean Davis, the midfield player, after his contract at Portsmouth expired.

Burnley have signed David Edgar, the defender, after his contract at Newcastle United ran out. Aaron Ramsey, the midfield player, has signed a new long-term contract at Arsenal.

Long shots

Stéphane Sessegnon, the Paris Saint-Germain midfield player who has two years left on his contract, claims that Chelsea have contacted his agent.

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