Arsenal Transfer News: Karim Benzema Obstacle Emerges, Latest Gunners Rumours

Real Madrid reportedly have no plans to sign a star centre-forward this summer, making Arsenal’s prospects of landing Karim Benzema very bleak indeed.

According to fichajes.net (h/t George Bellshaw of Metro) new manager Rafa Benitez had previously branded his centre-forward options, including Benzema, as “insufficient” and the Gunners were “clear to complete the transfer.” But Enrique Ortego of Marca notes that’s simply not the case:

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Rafa Benítez is more than satisfied with the squad that he has at his disposal and the hard work that his players have put in during a hectic pre-season. The Spaniard would, however, not be averse to strengthening his pack in two specific positions: a holding midfielder and a striker who is happy to live in the shadows of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale.

Rafa Benítez knows that Real Madrid do not want to sign a top striker this season. The club would consider bringing in a forward who knows how to patiently wait for his chance to shine.

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Benitez himself has also admitted recently that he expects big things from the striker in 2015-16. "Benzema is a great player," he told Spanish newspaper El Pais (h/t Sky Sports). "And one of my ideas this year is that he exceeds the barrier of 20-25 goals. In that, I have put a lot of confidence."

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

Naturally, Benzema would be a tremendous acquisition for Arsenal. The Frenchman boasts the marriage of dynamism, intelligence and ruthless finishing that the Gunners do lack at the point of their attack. His arrival, as is always the case with star strikers, would give everyone at the Emirates Stadium a huge lift, too.

It’s no surprise Real are reluctant to sell, though. As is evident by these statistics from OptaJose, Benzema is a wonderful foil for Cristiano Ronaldo:

But he’s a tremendous centre-forward in his own right, too. Benzema helped himself to 15 goals and 10 assists in 29 La Liga starts last season, per WhoScored.com. He should relish playing under Benitez, a manager who typically utilises his centre-forwards with direct, regular passes forward.

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Arsenal’s apparent pursuit of Benzema always seemed like an ambitious one, and although links will continue to surface for the rest of the window, it’s looking like a deal that’s increasingly unlikely to come off. At this juncture, a major twist of fate is needed if the Frenchman is to don Arsenal colours this season.

Arsenal Set to Miss Out on Asier Illarramendi

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With the Gunners seemingly frustrated in their pursuit of Real Madrid’s Benzema, they look poised to miss out on another target currently residing in the Spanish capital—midfielder Asier Illarramendi.

According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Louis Sealey of Metro), the former Real Sociedad man will join Liverpool this summer, with his departure from the Santiago Bernabeu now “inevitable.” The Gunners have previously been linked with the playmaker on a plethora of occasions, per Izzy Horsefield of the Daily Express.

Here’s a look at what Illarramendi would add to the Premier League:

While Liverpool are also short of defensive-midfield options, the Gunners could definitely do with a player who can glue things together in the engine room. Francis Coquelin is currently the man tasked with that job, but as was evident in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, he remains a little raw.

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As shown by these statistics from WhoScored.com, Illarramendi would bring a much more cultured influence to the base of the midfield:

Illarramendi needs a transfer after his career at Real has stalled. His defensive instincts, coupled with a superb range of passing, would seem to make him a perfect fit for the Gunners, too.

Manager Arsene Wenger has addressed some perennial problems in the Arsenal squad, but holding midfield is an area that he remains peculiarly reluctant to bolster. Illarramendi ticks all the boxes when it comes to what the Gunners need, and if he did join Liverpool, the Londoners would be left to rue a major missed opportunity.