Manchester United Transfer News: Karim Benzema Targeted Amid Arsenal Rumours

Manchester United will reportedly target Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema during the summer transfer window, amid rumours Arsenal will also make an attempt at signing the France international.

The Guardian's Jamie Jackson reported the news on Tuesday:

In his article, Jackson quotes a transfer fee of roughly £40 million for the prolific forward as the Red Devils try to take advantage of Real's uncertain future following the departure of manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian took to Twitter to thank the fans, players and club, but with their manager out of the picture, no one knows what the summer will look like for Los Blancos:

Several players could be leaving the club, and while the 27-year-old Benzema likely won't be on the list of players the new manager will want to offload, the Frenchman could see this as the perfect time to start a new chapter in his career.

Benzema moved to the Spanish capital from Olympique Lyon in 2009 and has won everything there is to win in Madrid, including a UEFA Champions League title in 2014.

He's been incredibly productive for Los Blancos and was a perfect fit in Ancelotti's system. The Frenchman can score, but his primary function was to present a target to hold up the ball and link with the wide men, as this statistic from OptaJose shows:

A transfer fee of £40 million seems like fair value for a talented striker in his prime, and according to Jackson, both United and Arsenal will push hard to land Benzema during the summer.

However, as shared by football writer Kristian Sturt, it's not the first time we've heard this story:

For some reason, the British press constantly links Benzema with a move to the Premier League, with Liverpool often cited as a potential destination, per the Daily Star's Chisanga Malata.

The rumours often make little sense, as Benzema has never openly demanded a transfer, is a regular starter for one of the best clubs in the world and has always been productive.

On top of that, Los Blancos don't have a replacement of the same caliber in their ranks, and there are currently few world-class strikers who appear as if they could be moving during the summer of 2015. Real have no reason whatsoever to sell, unless Benzema would ask for a move.

Assuming the Frenchman would want to continue his career elsewhere, United would be the favourites to land his signature. As explained by Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe, the club is in dire need of a quality striker after spending plenty of cash during the summer of 2014:

There's also the strong rumours linking star goalkeeper David De Gea with a move to Real, per the Daily Mirror (via Tighe), and the stopper could be used to bring Benzema to Old Trafford during the summer:

Benzema is a mobile striker who plays very well with his back toward goal, can finish his own chances and is seemingly always positioned exactly where he should be. He's not a pure scorer―he's only scored over 20 goals in a single La Liga campaign once, per WhoScored.com―but he does an excellent job of making sure his team-mates find enough open looks.

The striker would be a dream signing for United, where his versatility and pure quality would make him an immediate starter in any formation. Madrid will do whatever possible to keep him at the club, but if they're so eager to sign De Gea, perhaps a deal could be made.

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