Arsenal linked with €65m move for Real Madrid's Karim Benzema

Arsenal are reportedly preparing a €65m bid for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

According to AS, the Gunners are on the lookout for a centre-back and attacker and have identified the 27-year-old as the perfect candidate for the latter.

The report comes in stark contrast to Arsene Wenger’s recent admission, claiming, “there’s a 1000 percent chance he will continue at Real Madrid.”

Benzema would also be joined at the Emirates Stadium by four fellow Frenchmen in Mathieu Debuchy, Mathieu Flamini, Laurent Koscielny and Francis Coquelin and reacquainted with Mesut Ozil. The former Lyon star was once considered indispensable by Read Madrid but appears to have lost his status as the club’s No 9 to Cristiano Ronaldo under new manager Rafael Benitez.

OUR VIEW - It remains to be see whether or not Cristiano Ronaldo really is the first choice number nine for Real Madrid, and indeed if Ronaldo would be happy to be used in such a position. Additionally, there's no obvious replacement for Real Madrid should they lose Benzema to Arsenal, even if they receive such a large fee to be used to find a new striker. There's also the question about why Benzema would join Arsenal, when he could well find a better offer from a bigger club, such is the scarcity of available top class forwards in this transfer window.