Arsenal Transfer News: Top Names Linked in Latest Emirates Stadium Rumours

Arsenal may target Bundesliga pair Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski if the club cannot agree a deal for Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger will push to sign one member of the German-based duo, with speculation regarding Reus starting to heat up.

Italian website TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t Izzy Horsefield of the Daily Express) suggest Arsenal will block Liverpool's path to Reus. The Gunners are apparently keen on the 26-year-old Borussia Dortmund star as they look to improve their striking options.

Yet Wenger's own path to Reus won't be an easy one. It seems the Germany international still favours a move to La Liga giants Real Madrid, according to Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri:

A report from beIN Sports (h/t Chris Beesley of the Liverpool Echo), recently stated Madrid had moved ahead in the race to sign Reus. But Wenger may change the landscape as he prepares to spend a healthy transfer kitty on a legitimate superstar.

At least, that's the view of Mirror reporter Adrian Kajumba:

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Arsene Wenger is ready to spend again – but reiterated he will only get his chequebook out to make a marquee signing.

Club director Lord Harris got tongues wagging when he revealed Arsenal have £200million in the bank and a transfer budget big enough to break the club’s £42.5m record, spent on Mesut Ozil two years ago.

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Kajumba also noted how Wenger tried to play down Harris' revelation. But the Frenchman did still stress his willingness to spend on a marquee talent before this transfer window slams shut: “If there is something more, we are not reluctant to spend the money."

Reus would certainly give the Gunners something more. Namely, he'd offer electric pace and more intelligent movement up front.

Reus would fit perfectly in a front three also featuring similarly fleet-of-foot attackers Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott. That blazing trio would allow Arsenal to hunt for goals with the kind of speed and fluidity that has defined Wenger's best-ever teams.

Signing Reus would change the style of Wenger's current squad in a subtle yet significant way. But the Emirates Stadium chief may still be plotting to sign a striker who'll mean more of the same, only better.

Lewandowski Bid Likely if Second Benzema Approach Fails

Before trying to sign Reus, the Gunners will reportedly make a second approach regarding Benzema's availability. That's according to Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail:

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Sportsmail understands the Gunners have had an initial enquiry for the France international rebuffed by the Spanish giants, who are currently unwilling to sell.

However, Gunners sources have indicated that will not be the end of their attempts to sign the striker this summer.
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Benzema is by far and away the man Wenger wants to lead the line for his team next season.

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Wenger's fondness for Benzema is somewhat confusing. While the France international is certainly technically gifted, he's also inconsistent.

Benzema is hardly prolific and often goes missing for long stretches of important matches. Given his style as a towering No. 9 who likes to create opportunities for others, there seems little difference between the ex-Lyon man and Olivier Giroud.

Arsenal's current centre-forward of choice also uses his height to hold up play before linking with others via classy touches and clever flicks. In terms of goals, Benzema scored 22 in all competitions for Madrid last season, per ESPN FC. That is is barely better than the 19 Giroud managed for the Gunners, per the club's official site.

The former Montpellier star has also agreed a new three-year deal to stay at Arsenal until 2018, according to Mirror reporter John Cross. Significantly, Mokbel claims Wenger believes that new contract has lessened the need for a new striker and unless he can find a world-class option, there'll be no more spending this summer.

That's not an assessment B/R analyst Sam Tighe agrees with. He believes sticking with Giroud and not adding another quality striker will hinder Arsenal's chances of winning this season's Premier League title:

If it's world class Wenger wants, he should avoid Benzema and take a long look Lewandowski's way. Apparently, he'll do just that if he can't get Benzema, per El Confidencial journalist Kike Marin:

Wenger shouldn't even wait for Madrid's answer regarding Benzema. Instead, he should simply move on to Lewandowski, a more mobile, powerful and prolific striker.

Even in a down year at Bayern Munich, where he didn't fully suit the more intricate tiki-taka style favoured by manager Pep Guardiola, Lewandowski still found the net 26 times, per ESPN FC.

Lewandowski would offer the same hold-up and link play Giroud produces. But the Poland international would be far more free-scoring.

Yet those skills won't come cheap. Lewandowski's agent, Cezary Kucharski, told Polish television exactly how much suitors will need to pay to lure his client away from Munich (h/t TransferMarkt.co.uk): "I think it would have to be a very high offer, definitely higher than €50 million (£35 million) for Bayern to consider selling)."

Earlier this month, B/R's Tighe called that mooted fee a "bargain" for a player he believes is a "£50-60 million striker":

In that context, beating Manchester United to Lewandowski with a £35 million bid is definitely an offer worth making for Wenger. Benzema's agent recently told Sky Sports News HQ's Bryan Swanson (h/t Sky Sports) his client is "very happy at Real Madrid and he will be a Real Madrid player by the end of this transfer window, 1,000 per cent."

Whether the agent is playing games or not, Wenger should take him at his word and move on. A choice between Benzema and Lewandowski is no choice at all.

Arsenal should simply go all out for Lewandowski.