Arsenal Transfer News: Karim Benzema Must Demand Madrid Exit, Says Graham Hunter

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema could yet move to Arsenal in this transfer window, but he’ll have to ask for the transfer himself.

That’s according to Spanish football expert Graham Hunter, who told talkSPORT that all the permutations are in place for a potential deal to go ahead, but the player will have to make his intentions clear if anything tangible is to materialise:

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Arsenal have the money and Real Madrid need the money. They are 500million euros in global debt, they are trying to buy David De Gea and won't go the extra mile to get him off Manchester United because of the cash, so they need the money. And because Rafa Benitez will play 4-2-3-1 there is one less place for an attacking player than there was last season.

It is a doable deal, but it won't happen unless Benzema says to Real Madrid: 'I want to go to Arsenal.’

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As noted in the piece, the Gunners have been linked with a move for the Real Madrid forward throughout the summer months. Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe offered his opinion on whether a deal will go through in the final stages of the transfer window:

At the moment, the prospect is a fantastical one. Benzema remains the only orthodox centre-forward in the Los Blancos squad after all, meaning Madrid would surely be reluctant to let him go. Indeed, if Rafa Benitez is going to compromise on attacking options for a more cohesive side next season, it’ll likely be intricate midfielders who get the chop, not the Frenchman.

Not only is the forward a player who can score goals himself, but as we can see here courtesy of OptaJose, he’s a brilliant foil to Madrid’s star forward, Cristiano Ronaldo:

If Arsenal do have the money to go out and sign a quality forward in this window, there are plenty associated with the Emirates outfit who would be happy for them to go out and spend it.

One person backing that standpoint is former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who writes in his column for Sky Sports that while the Gunners can challenge for the title this season, a classy No. 9 would be a big help:

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No, I think they need a striker in the mould of an Ian Wright, Thierry Henry or Nicolas Anelka type, who they have not quite got at the moment. And if you ask every Arsenal fan, then they would say they still want a world-class striker.

But it is very difficult to get them, they all obviously play for the top clubs and we know that [Arsene] Wenger wants to get value for money, you can see that in the signing of Cech, who he has got for a great price.

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Michael Regan/Getty Images

The current options available to the Gunners are solid, if not spectacular. Olivier Giroud showed he can be a prolific finisher when on the field last season and is the wall that the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla can play off. But his lack of dynamism means the Frenchman doesn’t have that superstar quality Arsenal fans crave.

Football writer Diarmuid Gillingham thinks that with a thoroughbred goalscorer at the point of the attack, the Gunners will be Premier League champions:

Benzema has that desirable mix that the club’s supporters are desperate for. He can drop off the front, run in behind and has the poacher instincts to get on the end of chances. But why would the Frenchman want to leave Real Madrid, where he challenges for the biggest honours every season and plays alongside the finest talents in world football?

As Tighe mentions, it’s a rumour that has dragged and dragged, with Arsene Wenger himself insisting there is nothing to the transfer stories, per the official Arsenal website. Even so, if there was, Benzema would surely be reluctant to trade the Santiago Bernabeu for the Emirates, and Benitez would be even more resolute in his desire to keep the striker around.