Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Karim Benzema and Nicolas Gaitan Rumours

Rumours linking Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema to Arsenal are refusing to die out, and the Frenchman is once again reportedly set for a move to the Premier League.

That's according to Spanish outlet Fichajes.net (via Metro's Jamie Sanderson) who note Los Blancos may allow the striker to leave due to his arrest over allegations he's involved in a scheme to blackmail international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.

As Sanderson notes, the striker was linked throughout the summer with the Gunners, who would no doubt renew their interest should he become available.

The Frenchman has notched seven goals in eight games this season, and as WhoScored.com revealed in the summer, the 27-year-old is behind only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of goal contribution in La Liga:

Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez runs the rule over the front man's qualities and the invaluable role he plays at the Bernabeu:

His skills would be incredibly useful to the Gunners, who are joint top of the Premier League with Manchester City, despite failing to sign a single outfield player in the transfer window.

However, their inaction is coming back to haunt them as more and more injuries take hold, while it was the same old story when they travelled to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League, as they were humiliated 5-1.

The injection of a player of Benzema's quality would not only make the side far more deadly in the final third, it would also add a significant boost to the atmosphere among players and fans alike.

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

The link isn't overly convincing, though, so don't expect Real to allow Benzema to leave until they can replace him with someone of similar quality or better, such as Sergio Aguero or Robert Lewandowski.

Slightly more realistic is the prospect of landing Benfica's Nicolas Gaitan. Perennially linked with a move to Manchester United, the winger is now reportedly a target for Arsenal and City also.

According to Steve Bates in the Sunday People, all three clubs scouted the Argentinian in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Gaitan has sparkled this season with four goals and seven assists in 14 appearances—well on his way to surpassing last season's totals of four and 16 respectively.

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However, Gaitan played down talk of a move away from Benfica in the summer. He told Portuguese newspaper Record (via Alex Harris of the Daily Star): "I am good at Benfica. I have a contract. During the holidays they said I would be sold, but today I am here. It's always the same story."

Of course, nothing has ever come of United's supposed interest, so should a Premier League team such as Arsenal make a genuine attempt to recruit him, it could be a different story.

The 27-year-old is creative and versatile, which could come in handy for Arsenal given their propensity to suffer injuries.

Bates describes Gaitan as "£24 million-rated," though, which would likely prove to be too much of a sticking point for notoriously frugal Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.