Arsenal Reportedly Offered Karim Benzema as Real Look to Fund Suarez Move

The latest Arsenal transfer news sees the Gunners being put on red alert after reports that Real Madrid are prepared to offload Karim Benzema to fund deals for other targets.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is a long-term admirer of the France international and tried to sign the 25-year-old in the summer. That situation may now have changed though, given the blistering start to the season from Olivier Giroud.

Despite that, Martin Del Palacio reports in the London Evening Standard that Arsenal have been told they can sign the striker for £20 million—which is around half of what he was valued at by the Spanish giants in August—as they look to fund a bid for Luis Suarez:

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Arsenal have been told they can sign Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema for a cut price deal in January - as the Spanish giants step up plans to sign Luis Suarez.

According to club insiders, Carlo Ancelotti has lost patience with the 25 year-old who has scored just two goals in eight games for his club.

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The likelihood of a deal happening rests on Wenger's opinion of his current attacking options. Giroud has started the season in sublime form, and he has played a key role in firing the Gunners to the top of the table early on in the season with four goals in seven games.

Wenger also has Lukas Podolski, Theo Walcott and the returning Nicklas Bendtner as striking options, but Benzema will be a signing that Wenger still has on his radar.

The prospect of signing a striker with the track record of Benzema for such a small fee is a prospect that Wenger will surely not be able to turn down, no matter how well Giroud is leading the line so far this season.

The Evening Standard also claim that, despite spending a world-record fee on Gareth Bale, president Florentino Perez is still keen on bolstering his strike force and sees Benzema as the man who would depart to make way for a striker such as Liverpool's Suarez:

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Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is aware that, despite the world record signing of Gareth Bale, the forward line needs strengthening following a stuttering start to the season, and is prepared to cut his losses on the former Lyon star who cost £30m in 2009.

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That could open the door for Arsenal to make their move at a reduced fee.

Is Benzema the man for Arsenal? Would £20 million represent remarkable business for Arsenal and Real Madrid? Get involved with the discussion.