Madrid, June 25 Spanish football giant, Real Madrid, is all set to thwart Manchester United's bid to buy Lyon's striker Karim Benzema, saying that they have given up the chase for Valencia's David Villa.

United Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is a huge admirer of Benzema and has been watching his flair for some time, the Mirror reports.

Meanwhile, Madrid has given up the chase for Villa, and are hunting for Benzema, who has scored 54 goals in the last two seasons, and is amongst the most sought-after strikers in Europe.

Real Madrid's president, Florentino Perez, who continues his persistent stride to pack the side with superstars, is reluctant to shell out more than 36 million pounds for Villa.

Valencia has maintained that they will not sell Villa unless they receive a massive offer.

It seems to be another tough battle between the two giants, who are also competing for Wigan Athletic's winger Antonio Valencia. (ANI)