Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema linked to a transfer to Arsenal
By Alex McVey
Real Madrid’s misfiring striker Karim Benzema has been linked with a transfer move away from the club, with Arsenal the most likely destination.
“Karim Benzema to Arsenal” is a zombie of a transfer rumor. As soon as you think it’s dead, it comes crawling back to life. Well, the rumor mill has started churning again, and once again, Karim Benzema is being linked with a move away from Real Madrid to Arsenal FC.
The British tabloidThe Daily Star is reporting that Arsenal have made a bid for the services of the French striker. The paper suggests that Arsenal have put in a bid of £40M to try to pry Benzema away from the Spanish capital, but that Real Madrid are holding out to try to get their £50m asking price. And The Daily Mirror, another tabloid, reports that Real Madrid President Florentino Perez has given the go-ahead for the Benzema sale.
Benzema signed a new contract with Madrid earlier this year, extending his potential stay at Madrid until 2021. It looks like Real Madrid’s board may have made a smart move in getting that contract locked down, as it certainly helps Madrid’s bargaining position in transfer negotiations.
Tensions have been mounting regarding Benzema’s tenure at the club in recent weeks. Benzema has been off to a poor start to his season. Benzema has been especially profligate in front of goal, failing to convert on a number of good chances that have fallen his way. While Benzema does bring a lot to the table besides just goal-scoring, a point made by The Real Champs own Kristofer McCormack, at the end of the day, it’s hard to stay the No. 1 Striker option at Real Madrid if you’re not scoring goals.
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Also complicating matters is Real Madrid’s continued interest in Alexis Sanchez, the want-away Arsenal forward who has cast a dejected figure this season for the Gunners. Contract negotiations for Sanchez’ contract extension stalled this summer, and many at Arsenal are worried that Sanchez will leave on a free this summer if Arsenal do not resolve the issue quickly.
Some have suggested that Real Madrid may be interested in trading Lucas Vazquez plus cash for the services of the Arsenal forward. But with Vazquez playing a key role in Zinedine Zidane’s squad, one has to wonder whether Benzema might not be the better option for a swap deal.
It’s hard to tell whether there’s anything to this particular manifestation of the eternally returning Benzema to Arsenal rumors. On the one hand, Benzema truly is underperforming this season. He is getting to the twilight of his career, and Real Madrid will need to move on from him sooner than later.
On the other hand, we’ve seen these rumors play out before, with nothing substantive ever arriving at the end. The tabloids who are reporting these stories are often less-than-credible when it comes to reliable transfer information. So we should probably treat the rumors with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Next: Will Real Madrid actually sign a goalkeeper in January?