Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Must Make Best of Nicklas Bendtner Situation

Just when you think Arsene Wenger has all the answers, Nicklas Bendtner changes the questions.

No matter how hard Arsenal have worked to offload the 25-year-old striker, nothing has worked.

Earlier in the month, Wenger conceded to the club's website that a move is no closer to happening, and Bendtner "is completely here" (h/t Pete O'Rourke of Sky Sports).

According to the Daily Express' Ben Jefferson, Malaga manager Bernd Schuster is worried a move is close to collapsing because of the player's wage demands.

This likely isn't the first time the Danish striker has torpedoed a move.

Eintracht Frankfurt tried to bring in Bendtner, only for their chairman to tell Kicker, "After weighing up all the arguments, Bendtner turned out not to be a realistic prospect. Now it's up to us. There are no problems with Arsenal. We have to see if it's financially viable" (h/t the Daily Mail's Declan Warrington).

The Gunners have been lucky in the past and gotten Bendtner out on loan right as the transfer window came to a close. Given his poor run at Juventus last season, it's unlikely that either a club will come to Arsenal's rescue or Bendtner will accept whatever contract he's offered by a new club.

At this point, Wenger should just plan on having the Dane on the team when the season starts. It's better to try to get the most out of Bendtner than letting him just sit at home and collect his wages.

Striker is one of Arsenal's biggest issues this summer.

David Hytner of The Guardian reported Wenger is unwilling to give up on his pursuit of Luis Suarez. Given how Liverpool's stance has remained the same all summer, the Gunners should plan on a Premier League season without Suarez. With the transfer window edging closer and closer to its conclusion, it's unlikely that the club would be able to move for another player in the event it loses out on Suarez.

That leaves Olivier Giroud and Yaya Sanogo as the only natural centre-forwards. Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott can both move to an inside position, but they're best utilized out wide.

Bendtner can at least provide depth and cover for Giroud and Sanogo. Arsenal will probably be playing close to 60 matches this season. They cannot rely on just Giroud and Sanogo to shoulder the burden. Bendtner is a solid option when playing in the early stages of the League Cup and FA Cup.

The biggest problem with the Danish target man is his inflated sense of self. You get the feeling he legitimately believes he's one of the best strikers in the world. That ego has done him no favors.

If you take that out, you actually have what is a competent player.

Bendtner's Juventus loan was a major disappointment. He made 11 appearances for the Italian champions and didn't score a single goal.

When he was given more of a sustained run out with Sunderland during the 2011/12 season, he scored eight goals in 30 appearances. It's not a great goal return, but it's at least something.

At only 25 years old, there's still time to at least get Bendtner to a level where he is more of a consistent threat. This isn't a player who is in the twilight of his career. He's only beginning to enter his prime. That may turn out to be nothing more than what the player is doing now.

Arsenal aren't going to be relying on Bendtner to lead the line each week. He'll just be a good option to bring off the bench and in matches when the Gunners might need to go a little more direct and snatch a goal.

It's up to Wenger to make the most out of what is an admittedly bad situation.