Arsenal Transfer News: Karim Benzema Plans Emerge, Latest Rumours

Arsene Wenger is reportedly refusing to admit defeat over his failed summer pursuit of Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. That's if you believe the latest reports.

Spanish website Fichajes.net (h/t Metro) stated Arsenal boss Wenger is planning a new bid to try to tempt Madrid into a sale. But the same report also claims Los Blancos president Florentino Perez isn't interested in selling, and that only an "irresistible bid" would turn his head.

What qualifies as an "irresistible bid" is left unclear, although the Spanish source does claim €60 million wasn't enough to land Benzema this summer. There's also the not-so small matter of the player himself being reluctant to swap the Spanish capital for north London.

During a recent interview with French programme Telefoot, Benzema dismissed the idea he was ever considering leaving Madrid to join Arsenal (h/t Telegraph Sport): "Not at all in fact. I'm not going to repeat myself every time. I'm at the best club in the world and I'm going to continue to work every year. I'm happy where I am."

Those words directly contradict many reports from the English press this summer. Back in late-August, Daily Star Sunday reporter Harry Pratt claimed Benzema was ready to become an Arsenal player.

But no deal ever took place, as Wenger remained content with his existing attackers.

The Frenchman recently publicly expressed his confidence in his current strikers. The Gunners boss believes Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott can all be prolific this season, according to Goal.com.

That belief will have been reinforced by two members of that trio, Walcott and Giroud, bagging both of Arsenal's goals in the club's 2-0 Premier League win over Stoke City on Saturday.

Bogdan Maran/Associated Press

Wenger offered his backing for Walcott, who started the match against the Potters as Arsenal's lone centre-forward. According to Max Jones of the club's official website, Wenger said: "His goal was outstanding. The quality of his movement, the quality of his control and the quality of his finish was absolutely outstanding. It’s a real striker’s goal.

But Wenger also referenced how sporadic his team has been in front of goal this season. He suggested the Gunners had created 30 shots on goal against Stoke, but noted there's a gap between chances and goals at the moment.

Walcott at least seems aware of the problem. He's called on himself and Arsenal's other strikers to take greater advantage of the many chances that come their way, per the Press Association (h/t BT Sport): "We create chances so we just have to put them away."

In fairness to Walcott, his most recent goal continued a fine scoring run for the 26-year-old England international, per Squawka:

Yet despite his efforts, the Gunners have netted just five goals in as many league matches this season. Failure to score at home to both Liverpool and West Ham United cost them precious points in the title race.

Of course, the disparity between the chances Arsenal create and those Wenger's players actually convert, is why many fans clamoured for a marquee striker to arrive during the summer window.

Former prolific Gunners frontman Thierry Henry suggested signing Benzema would win Arsenal the Premier League, during an interview on talkSport's Drivetime, alongside fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp.

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Ultimately, though, the deal didn't happen. Benzema didn't want to move, and Wenger kept his money in his pocket.

His faith in his current crop of strikers is laudable, but if Walcott and Co. continue to misfire, the pressure will only increase on Wenger to find a big-name alternative. At the moment, though, that doesn't look like being Benzema.