JEAN-ALAIN Boumsong smiled and shrugged. “Money, of course. Money,” he said. Boumsong does not doubt why, for all that Lyons would like to keep Karim Benzema a little longer, and Benzema would like to stay, there is a good chance the most coveted young striker in the world will begin next season with another club. Benzema would cost at least £20m but Manchester United should buy him now, said Boumsong, before the price rises further.

Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid also covet the 20-year-old and on Friday, Adriano Gallini, vice-president of AC Milan, announced Benzema was alongside Didier Drogba, Andriy Shevchenko and Emmanuel Adebayor on a list of players the Italian club have drawn up of potential replacements for the stricken Ronaldo. United’s desire was increased by the extraordinary goal, a rocket shot from the launch-pad of his supposedly weaker left foot, struck almost without back lift, that Benzema scored against them on Wednesday. Sir Alex Ferguson was pictured making nice with Benzema as the players left the pitch and in his postmatch press conference said: “Great strikers score great goals.” Ferguson is not one who bandies such superlatives lightly.

United’s defenders also gave Benzema five-star reviews. For all their array of attackers, it was United’s lack of a Benzema-like player, a line-leading centre-forward with a goal habit, that saw them come so close to damage in the first leg of the Champions League tie. Wayne Rooney had a fine game in Lyons yet missed a significant chance at 0-0 and, with Boumsong displaying standards far above anything he showed for Newcastle, was often left isolated. Benzema had enough pace and presence to get across United’s backline and unnerve Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic – not easy given that pair’s form. His goal came out of so little it could barely be characterised a half-chance. It was his 26th of the campaign.

“Our aim is to win the Champions League. We will try and do it this season but, let’s be humble, it could take five years and if we are to win it we need to keep good players like Karim,” said Boumsong. “But it will be difficult because maybe next season Man U will buy him. We cannot compare Man U and Lyons. Man U have much more money and can afford the best players in the world.”

Jean-Michel Aulas, Lyons’ president, has a history of commanding prices for his players that are beyond even United’s reach. Ferguson wanted Michael Essien but could not compete with Chelsea when the bidding went to £24.4m and he was interested in Mahamadou Diarra, but dropped out when Aulas drove his fee towards the £19m Real Madrid ultimately paid. Aulas has recently been suggesting a fee of £45m, or Cristiano Ronaldo plus cash, as the sort of offer that might persuade him to sell Benzema.

One of nine children born to a French-Algerian family in Lyons, Benzema has a similar background to Zinedine Zidane and has been compared to the great Zizou in playing terms. “Karim is a fantastic player and if he works hard and stays humble he will be one of the best players in the world,” said Boumsong. “I hope, long term, he can replace Henry for France. He is also compared to Zidane and has skills like Zidane, though he has a long way to go to get to that level.”