Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours Following Upset Loss to West Ham

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called for calm in the wake of the Gunners’ opening day defeat to West Ham United, insisting there is no need for the club to rush into the transfer market.

The Emirates outfit were moribund in their efforts against the Hammers and were comfortably second best in a 2-0 loss. It was a defeat that set social media ablaze in the aftermath, with many supporters calling for new signings, but Wenger is remaining calm, it seems.

“Again, I can only repeat what I already said,” per ESPN.co.uk. “If an exceptional solution turns up, we'll do it. But after a defeat like that, it's important not always to think we take a solution from outside.”

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As Barney Ronay of the Guardian noted, the Gunners seemed susceptible to the same flaws that have derailed their title charges on myriad occasions previously:

Wenger’s words come as the Londoners continue to be linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. And as noted here by James Cambridge of the Daily Express, Arsenal supporters’ ears pricked up earlier in the day when Venezuelan journalist Jeinny Lizarazo claimed that a transfer is close to being done.

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As you’d expect, there was a humorous reaction to the reports and how Benzema’s travel plans might change if he was indeed on his way to the Emirates and watching the afternoon's action, per Footy Accumulators:

"

Benzema's plane earlier on today https://t.co/gGhHuuaOm4

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) August 9, 2015"

But it’s a deal that looks very, very unlikely to happen. Earlier in the day, quotes emerged from Wenger in which he insisted that the club don’t need another striker, with the Frenchman encouraging the team to “depend less on one guy who comes in and scores all the goals,” per Sky Sports.

According to Tancredi Palmieri of beIN Sports, the Gunners are not the only club that are keen on luring the Frenchman to the Premier League either:

Benzema is a vital cog at Real Madrid, too. The Frenchman was absent for the club’s 0-0 friendly draw with Valerenga on Sunday, with manager Rafa Benitez deciding to field Jese Rodriguez at the point of the attack. It was a deployment that illustrated just how short of orthodox centre-forward options Los Blancos currently are.

PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/Getty Images

As we can see here, courtesy of WhoScored.com, Benzema has been a critical figure at the point of the attack over the last three seasons.

Although Wenger may emit the aura of a confident man, this performance from the Gunners was hugely underwhelming. The fizzing, fluid football that was so prevalent in pre-season disappeared and the perennial issues that have blighted previous seasons returned at first sight; the title still seems a long way off for this squad of players.

There will be a clamour for a major acquisition and the last time the Gunners lost on the opening day, Wenger went out and signed Mesut Ozil late in the window. That was a major deal that appeared from nowhere, but it seems as though the prospect of Benzema, or any star striker for that matter, donning Arsenal colours in 2015-16 remains a long way off yet.