Right this is definitely the last post I ever write about Karim Benzema coming to Arsenal until it is announced on Sky or the BBC. We know that Arsene Wenger is anally secretive when it comes to talking about his transfer targets in public, and we expect him to throw journalists off the scent until the deal is done and dusted, and even then it is not reported on the official Arsenal website for at least another week.
But now we have a new name enter the fray. The famous ex-footballer and TV Pundit Rodney Marsh (surely he must have some reliable sources after all these years?) has made an announcement that he has definitive information that Real Madrid have accepted an Arsenal bid for the French international.
He said on TalkSport: “I had a phone call from a mate of mine, and he’s been right on many things, and he said that he believes Real Madrid have accepted a bid somewhere in the region of £48million for Benzema from Arsenal.
“In the past this guy has always been right, he’s never been wrong yet, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
Rodney, we HAVE been waiting and seeing for some time. We are all heartily sick of hearing these “insiders” telling us its a DONE DEAL, and we are also sick of Wenger telling us that he is not looking at any strikers. Admittedly it looks like the transfer window is hotting up right now, and Sky seem to be telling us of another Premier League purchase every five minutes (but its always for other teams of course!).
Some one is telling lots of porkies right now, and it is either Arsene Wenger or all the bloody pundits on TV. Until we find out for sure I promise right now that I will not mention this possible move every again.Except to tell someone they were lying on deadline day.
Who will I accuse? Wenger or Marsh?
A pundit said that his mate said that he BELIEVES a bid has been accepted.. Cringe.
Can’t see Wenger bidding £48 millions for a player who in few years time doesn’t have the sell value of no more than £15 millions.
Otamendi – 35mil
De bruyne – 50 mil
Sterling – 50 mil
RIP FFP…
Funny as the quote on other sites say 48 mil euro not pounds 🙂 Just wait and see but don’t hold your breath.
No risks, No glory.
And fans say Arsene is too old which means he is less willing to take risks.
The easy thing to do would be to give into mass opinion and just buy even if the ones you want will not come.
Funny when Marsh was asked if he’d put his life on it to go through … he said a pretty confident NOPE !!! Neither will I Marsh, neither will I …
you love rumours so much..I sworn to never ever again comment on anything to do with players linked to arsenal to stay stress free..have heard seen and had enough of frustrations..
mourino finished top last season.Chelsea has top quality attack force but he never shies away from strengthening..getting Pedro who will have to compete with the likes of Eden Hazard, Willian and Juan Cuadrado to get into the team..that’s what winners are made of..wants to be strong and stringer..let me ask you,assuming that our front line is fantastic just as Wenger says,what is wrong with making it even more stronger? God know.Wenger is a looses and we will win nothing this time round.like it or no…I don’t care your reactions.am telling the truth and that shall prevail..and set me free of frustrations..have never looked a team like i love my team Arsenal.I skip watching my local league to watch arsenal play.I don’t even love my national team like I love arsenal.but do I have anything to smile about?Nothing.
I expect nothing. Giroud is Wenger’s lovechild and he will stick with him until the end which means no title for yet another season. In Wenger we trust though, right? Feel bad for players like Sanchez and Ozil who want to actually do better but have to deal with a lampost and stubborn old man who needs to wake up. So tired of hearing everyone buying top players and AW doing nothing. Some of these players like Otamendi didn’t even leave for too much money and we really could’ve used him at the back. Same with CDM’s that all moved towards the beginning of the summer, and now we are wasting time on Benzema. Wenger failing for the billionth time in transfer window yet people still think he’s some god. Hilarious.
only stating facts. Giroud upfront another season= no title and everyone damn well knows this by now.
If Real Madrid does not buy someone big to replace Benzema, don’t think Benzema to come to Arsenal.They are going to compete for three competition, do you think they are going to it with out striker?
Yeah, I was thinking that if they can turn Aguero’s head ..well then city will just demand Benzema so to lessen the blow ..they can offer him 200m in wages.
THEY HAVE JESE WHO’S JUST AS GOOD AND CAN PLAY ON THE WING TO ACCOMMODATE RONALDO AS A CF, and they just bought Kovacic for 25m, by selling Benzema they can afford to buy DeGea without losing money
what r u talking about?So Arsenal have three strikers in Giroud,Welbeck and Walcott. But Madrid has Benzema and Jese as their strikers. And you expect Madrid to sell to us Benzema so that we can have four strikers but for them to play with their second choice Jese and to remain with only one striker through three competitions. What kind logic is this?
Kovacic is a midfielder,nothing to do with the transfer of striker.
I don’t believe a word from these twitter agents but Agent Alexis who has a decent track record has been talking about RM in for Lewandoski.
Benzema again, i really hope he joins us but dont understand y Madrid will want to sell. Off Topic: just saw a video online where large number of Arsenal Fans are praying and fasting for Wenger to buy a STRIKER & DM. Is this how desperate we Fans av become?? God help Us
Link to the video please? Must be hillarious :))
I want the transfer window to close now FFS!
You have something in common with Arsene then!
Just seek and tired of this rumor. Similar to that season when Higuaín was linked with Arsenal the whole transfer window. Wish we can know the truth and not raise our hopes for nothing. Let everyone just stop talking about it boring now!!!!
WTF…I think am going to have heart attack
Take this with more than a pinch of salt. We have heard such claims before and it has left us with broken hearts!!!
Yeah Arsene is pretty sneaky when it comes to transfers, he probably likes to avoid what Chelsea have just done to Man U on Pedro and we know the long list of targets we have missed who have been snatched up by other top teams.
If Benz will make a move, expect Man U to be in for him aswell (we all know they pay better so Wenger must work his French magic). I hope Madrid claiming his injured is a way not to alarm there fans for Bnnetiz not playing him due to the imminent move to the mighty Arsenal.
Experience from the past tells me Wenger does not like fixing areas that need attention in the team or addressing areas that the whole world is crying out for, he might end up signing another CAM or a teenage RB!
maybe another french lampost hmm:))))
Lets wait and c….am not that desperate,it is still a rumour,don’t like associating myself with rumour mongas…..
one source saying breakthrough made,goal.com saying arsenal benzema hopes fade.,well at least in two weeks all this will be done and we can go about worrying about other things..
I hope its Wenger!
Yawns. Even if we signed Benzema, it wouldn’t solve
> Playing Ramsey on the wings
> Getting a suitable backup to/ or upgrade on Coquelin
exactly. AW doesnt have the guts to bench his favorites and tell them to earn a starting spot. No Ox was ridiculous last weekend. Ramsey should be in the middle or not starting at all. And dont hold your breath over a CDM, that ship has sailed a while ago. Sorry, I just really want this Wenger nightmare to end. I’ve had it. He’s not good enough to manage the club anymore dont care what anyone says. If Arsenal board cared at all they would be looking to bring in Pep after he leaves Bayern.
Again I agree with you wholeheartedly I was undecided on Wenger at the end of the season when it seemed we only needed two or three players and everyone else had come good,but if Wenger fails to buy ANYONE in as it seems will happen (not including Cech) then for me he needs to go. We are closer than we’ve been in ten years to being a competing side and yet even IF we get Benzema we STILL have no adequate cover for Le Coq Wenger has done amazing things at the club but so did Herbert Chapman and we’ve not dug him up. If Wenger fails…and he will with Giroud, Walcott and Welbeck up front then he needs to call it a day cos there are no more credible excuses
There you have it. Wenger could stockpile all the world class talent that exists, but that wouldn’t solve his inability to field a properly balanced side. If we get a new 9 then I can see him actually playing that person ahead of Giroud and using Oli as a super sub, but that still doesn’t solve him not being able to bring Ramsey off the bench. At this juncture Ramsey is not in our top 11, not if we intend to field a balanced side that can/will adequately torment the opposition’s back line.
Secondly you’re right about LeCoq needing competition/rotation. Unfortunately, I don’t know that Arsene will acknowledge this until he picks up a knock, or until the game his sits for yellow card accumulation is against City or United and their pace thrashes us on the break with old slow Arteta nowhere to be found.
The betting odds have been up and down all day, but at the moment are shortening on Benzema to Arsenal….we shall see…
…him in the white shirt of Teal Madrid again this season..
So apparently Chelsea have signed Pedro, it’s on BBC football so it’s a done deal.
As for the ramifications of this I’ll reference what I said in the previous article.
Chelsea have added a very solid upgrade to their squad. Pedro would have improved any side in the EPL as he’d start over Willian, Navas, Ox etc. Moreover Chelsea’s weaker link has been their right side and with him their Chelsea have arguably the best front line in the EPL.
Secondly I don’t think United would haggle over a few million, which leads me to believe they have someone else in the works, especially as they dropped interest after being front runners. In any event neither scenario is good for Arsenal.
It makes our lack of any transfer activity so strange. The likes of Pedro, Kondogbia, Martinez would have improved our squad so it’s very odd we’ve signed no one thus far when we were so close to challenging.
its not odd, its what you get with Wenger who always comes up short in the market. He’ll sign someone like Sanchez and then start the season with only Mertesacker and Koscielny as our CB’s and expect to win title. This time we’re signing Cech and expecting to win title with Giroud, Welbeck and Walcott. That’s laughable. Some gooners need to wake up when they say AW is the best manager in EPL, far from it, those days are gone and he doesn’t have the stomach to compete anymore. Still thinks we can pass our way to the title by attacking down the middle every damn game.
Yep …Pedro is a good signing for the Chelsea of that there is no doubt.
Transfer windows is still open. I think you have been a bit hasty and over worried seeing other teams buying
Wenger had proved us wrong 2 season in succession. We also know we have more money this season than the last two. Benzema + a DM still can happen.
how has he proved us wrong? When he bought Ozil that was the only significant piece of business he did, the squad was still a mess overall and last season the squad was a mess defensively. AW will prove me wrong when he wins the title.
If true that is a huge sum to pay for a very very good striker ..ain’t no Aguero or Suarez all the same. To think if our coffers had just offered the extra ten to fifteen mil for Suarez well then we would not have this frustration and we would have one of the worlds best strike force. Still, if this is what it might take well then we should pull the trigger.
Even though I believe that Cavani is a better goalscorer than Benz I can see why Arsene prefers the Frenchman. He is better than Cavani at making opportunities, which is a very important attribute for our boss. He is also quicker than the Uruguayan, and has played with Ozil, as well as Arsenals Frenchmen ..so it does sound like he could work out fine wearing a Gunner’s jersey.
Giroud is good but not as good as klose or even Mario Gomez who are better than the frenchmen, have you seen the misses lately or beginning of time that he screws shots into orbit. Arsene Wenger will not sign Benzema cause he comes into the category of exceptional talent but not a Wenger player. Besides they want Aguero to his replacement which is not going to happen cause Man city will try to lure Benzema for him.
Arsene knows this deal is not possible so therefore so screwing around and sign Cavani now !!!!!!
So Chelsea began talks with Barcelona about buying Pedro yesterday and now he’s flying into London to join them. Less than two days and they are able to pretty much wrap up a deal. Yet Wenger insists its really hard to sign players blah blah. Ha you gotta laugh at the old coot. Every other team has strengthened accept us.
It is sad and incredible:(((
Although we are not missing out as we probably never wanted anyone in the 1st place..
You have to understand difference here. Pedro no longer wants to play for Barca and he is surplus same as Sanchez. Deal is done as everyone wants it.
On other hand we are not sure if Benzema wants to leave RM. RM is bigger club than Arsenal and he will only leave if he doesn’t get guarantee to play every week.
And pedro had a set (and pretty low) buy out clause … considering spuds are about to pay more for berahino 🙂 🙂 🙂
City, Chelsea and United clearly have stronger squads than Arsenal this season. As if that’s not bad enough, we play Ramsey on the wings.
How is United stronger? Did they finish above us last season? Did they beat us in the FA caup at home?
Do you think Depay is a better number 10 than Ozil? Is the current back 4 and keeper of United better than ours? Would Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez be upseated from any United player?
Man City added Sterling – does this make them dramatically better than us? Did Man City win their home fixture last season at the Ethiad against us? Did they win against us last season?
Is Yaya Toure going to make it through a full season? If Aguero gets hurt are Man City a good team or still a great team?
Wake up man – it’s not always a cloudy day.
blah blah blah,
Chelsea was 12 points above us and they have strengthened.
City was 4 points above us and they have strengthened
United was a couple of points below us and they have strengthened
Liverpool bought 6 players, never a guarantee, but they look more solid this year.
Arsenal bought “0” outfield players. We have Per who is slowing down(if that were possible), Arteta who is 33 and never was a spectacular player (never made it to Spain team)as our DM cover and Giroud who has been leading our line with an average of 15 goals per season.
So you can sit there all day saying whatever you are saying but on paper things look worse than last year not better.
1. Depay isn’t a number 10. He is a winger.
Secondly I don’t know how you could seriously ask how United are stronger. They added to their midfield and defense considerably. Your justifications on how either they nor City are terribly biased and lack rationale.
You ask if City beat us in the away fixture last season but omit they finished above us but do the reverse for United, highlighting they finished below us but conveniently leaving out that they beat us at the Emirates.
City were a better team than we were last season have strengthened and are still looking to strengthen, even more so with Chelsea. Moreover your bit about injury could apply to any team ESPECIALLY Arsenal. Is Arsenal a great team now? Are Arsenal a great team without Sanchez, can Ozil stay fit all season?
You can’t assume optimal conditions for Arsenal and less than ideal for the other teams.
The fact of the matter is Arsenal need to strengthen if they are to win the league.
“You can’t assume optimal conditions for Arsenal and less than ideal for the other teams….” Well excuse me, but the reverse appears to be exactly the name of the game on here – everyone cacking their pants with every opposition signing and assuming everyone else is better and stronger. The only team that looks any better to me atm is City – and that is down to their old crew and nothing to do with Sterling. And I’ll guarantee it that you were telling everyone this time last year how much stronger United and Liverpool were after their last round of acquisitions.
Last year this time I was on holiday in Jamaica and didn’t comment on transfers in the window, but feel free to assume whatever you wish to support your inaccuracy. You have an issue with ‘everyone’s’ comments but respond to me, what kind of logic is this. Respond to them then what makes you think I’m going to care about your qualms with other people?
If you want to actually debate something be my guest, but don’t respond to me if you’re going to make assumptions about me then base your argument on it.
I’m not assuming optimal conditions. Arsenal’s injury record is worse than any of the other clubs.
It sickens me that all of these puppets see a signing or two and immediately think ‘wow – we’re so dead’. The Spurs strengthened two summers ago, LiverHampton last year, Man United is spending money like crazy – does it mean certain success?
Do we need to strengthen? Surely. Who do you sign? Is Depay, Bastian, Sterling going to improve based on our current needs?
Arsenal wins two FA cups back to back, has a stable squad and hasn’t lost a major star in over 4 windows. We lose to West Ham and all the muppets come out – just waiting.
Chelsea is yet to win, gets smashed by Man City….it’s calm.
Makes sense.
BTW Depay is playing as a number 10 currently for United with Mata pushed to the wings.
By that logic Ramsey is a winger since we play him there.
You argue with the logic of the puppets but yours is no better, how can you attempt to base the strength of a team NOW based on what happened months ago in very specific incidents. How is an FA Cup win over United any indication of their strength now? Or a win ove City at the Etihad?
Arsenal has a stable squad and hasn’t lost a major star in 4 windows. So what? Neither have the two teams that finished above us and they are strengthening.
In regards to your point about Depay being a number 10 in yesterday’s match as with numerous other matches for PSV Eindhoven Depay played on the wing. Januzaj played as the no.10 and Mata played out right. Him playing as a no.10 in 2 games doesn’t make him a no.10. If that’s the case Ozil and Ramsey are both wingers.
I think the Depay argument is not going anywhere.
I also believe that yeah, we are up against stern opposition, Che and Manc both have a fantastic team. So do we, we have been gradually improving each season on signings as well as results. People should ease up on the bashing if the bashing is based majorly on new players. You never know how new players will turn out ..and you also don’t know if Arsene is done yet with the window.
My assumption is that at some point Madrid probably accepted our bid but that Benzema chose not to come. I don’t see this happening. Can we move on?
Real Madrid aren’t something special. if Arsenal match his wages then they aren’t going to get him. if they improve his wages then why would you take a pay cut to sit on the bench to watch bale play your position.
in other words it is all about the money.
Im losing my mind.
Wish I could black out and just wake up at the last minute of deadline day
:-/
You must be new to the Summer transfer rumour malarky if it still has this effect on you.
Get familiar with the transfer rules of Arsenal Segy and you will see the BS articles by the end of first paragraphs.
Good pointers are articles which start with words like “It is reported”, “According to …”, “A source close to the club says …”, “Done deal”, “It has been confirmed that Arsenal …” … and many more. Build a list of such phrases to familiarise with them and you will easily fet though future Summers feeling no hope, laughing at obvious BS and picking holes in endless articles if you have that sort of time on your hands.
Ah Rodney Marsh. It’s definitely a sure thing then.
Thank you Rodney Marsh’s mate for telling Rodney Marsh this sure thing. ^^
Excuse me while I carry on with my life in a state of excitement.
Personally I cannot think of any top striker for sale, so why would Real Madrid sell a striker they cannot replace? When I see us linked with a player, I look for info on the player the selling team is hoping to buy as a replacement. In most cases there is none. It is quite telling.
until we sign that world class striker and backup DM lets forget any illusions of mounting a title challenge. Reality to date is we should be looking over our shoulders at the ever improving MANURE coming for our 3rd spot
BTW two games played they already ahead. Proof is in the pudding.
I might be goin crazy but I am actually starting to enjoy all these rumours…
Maybe its a fantasy land like having a great dram…even when you wke up and its not true,..the dream made you smile.
wt heck…if we have to put up with rumours at least enjoy them
Exactly, it’s all a bit of fun to speculate….if it’s true everyone’s happy, if not then its business as usual…. 😉
haha spot on Mark.
As long as it does exist beter take the best of it
why would madrid sell their only striker?.. this benzema to arsenal story makes no
sense ..
Some say they’ll go for Aguero, but why would he leave and why should City sell? Especially after letting Dzeko and Jovetic to leave??? Selling Benzema is very bad business for Madrid ?
I think thats exactly what Wenger says regarding availability, but the AOBs are sometimes blind and attack anything even if it is real
Well unlike us Madrid can wrap up a deal within 24 hrs.
Exactly, thats reality, they sell jeresys n Asia worth 10 million in the day its released…sadly we dont
Chelsea too with Pedro according to reports (I know).
Still 🙁
well, Chelsea has a sugar daddy, another source of income but yeah, they can do it too sadly.
I actually have somee respect for both (NOT Mourinho though) Real as an institution and Abramovich as a fan.
1. Real has always been faithful to themselves. Butragueno said once that Galacticos was a late nickname, that Zizou Fat Ronnie Raul Figo and co were note the firsts, and he was right, snce Di Stefano they have always been looking fo the best and buying. Simple, efffective. No Masia, no youth BS, we seek the best we buy them.
They dont have the money of a sugar daddy but Banks are behinf them, its a Rolling dice: buy the best player, sell the shirts, sell tickets, huge fan base around the world, in one week they recover and pay interest and then earn from everything else.
2. Roman is a fan, u can see that he enjoys being there, waching the games etc. That is not excuse for the unbalanced books and rules etc..but hey its a feeling thing and I as a gooner respect feelings as I do have for my team
Just thumbed you down by mistake;)
I hereby withdraw my thumb and put it up!
Yep Real Madrid and chelski Speculate to accumulate and recoup their outlay by success on the field, growth of the brand and consequently increase sales.
Wenger on the other hand must obviously believe their are only a few super hero footballers alive today who could possibly compliment his ‘complete’ squad!
if we can’t get Benz then give G-rude a counsellor to increase psych n to strengthen his weakness. what do u guys think?
Zamparini: “I don’t have any intention on
giving up on Joel Campbell. I’m here in
London to try the final assault…..but #Arsenal hasn’t budged from their initial request. Up to today, Campbell is unreachable for us.”
“We’ll see if there are areas to negotiate. Otherwise Campbell wont arrive. We already have 7 guys competing
for 2 spots up top.”
Let Campbell go!!
Has anyone asked his barber yet?
Turns out Man U dropped their interest in Pedro to sign Mane from Southampton. lol
48m for Benz is already a bargain….hes worth at least 60m..
you must be joking
According to sky sport Man Utd bid for Southampton’s Sadio Mane, that was unexpected.
Yes, strange one, Pedro or Mane……..hmmmm. let me think. Waiting for the first guy on here to say we lost out on Mane……..
you were the first 🙂
Can we the fans sue all these f*xktards making all kinds of claims about football transfers for all the heartache and anxiety they cause?!?
I SEE NO PLAY IN THIS Benzema story at all and whilst I love to see him come to us and believe that he is sorely needed I don’t see it happening. What is true is that while Chelsea and city are not Guaranteed to improve with their new signings it does certainly guarantee the “Potential” for improvement in squads that are already there or there about.
We are closer now to being a cohesive and potentially competitive squad than we have been for around ten years and still with only two area’s that really need to be addressed Wenger apparently is sitting on his hands, you can argue till your blue in the face that Welbeck and Giroud and Walcott are good enough to win us a trophy of some magnitude this season but the fact is they are not!!! There’s no one sniffing around any of the three and despite there being a real shortage of world class strikers no one has knocked on our door and asked about these three. This points to them being good but not good enough and with every other side we class as competition building their ranks then it strikes me as pure lunacy NOT to address the two key positions we need to strengthen. Coqullin won’t go a whole season without injury or suspension, Wilshire will be injured more often than not and Arteta and flamimi are too old, it’s as simple as that. Also if Wenger was really after Benzema why not make an offer that is impossible to refuse, if Arsene really thinks he’s the man then why not break the bank and get it done? Offering a club a figure that they will laugh at is hardly the way to prise a world class striker away from a team that clearly don’t want to sell him.
What is apparent is that if we don’t address these positions where we either are lacking or need cover then we won’t win any thing and if we don’t win something substantial we will find ourselves not only seeking a world class striker and DM again next season but we’ll also face having a struggle to keep the likes or Rambo, Ozil and Sanchez. How long do you think it’s going to be before clubs that can offer these players a chance at real silverware will swoop in and turn their heads? They are Arsenal players yes but that does not mean that they will stay that way through thick and thin. Wenger needs to do something and do it now cos it’s the long term effect we have to consider here. I for one Think it’s all smoke and mirrors from the press and Wenger was never really in for Benzema just like he was never really looking to pay 40 million plus 1£ for Suarez, he regularly goes for players that he is unwilling to pay the full price for and that he knows their clubs won’t sell, he can then turn round and say “well we tried, but….” and the board rub their hands and sit back and grin and watch the money roll right in.
I said the same thing yesterday on my comment on this same website that I had a called from a friend of my who lives in Spain his a Real Madrid fan also he told me that Benzema will coming Arsenal very soon people thumbs me down but u can’t blame no body for distrust or disagree on any comments when it comes to Arsenal because of Wenger ‘s transfpolicy is very secretive but hope he prove me wrong this time.
AW thinks a team that came 3rd 12 points shy of the top teams will win the EPL ? #dickhead
Go buy some players or keep some of the ones you keep letting out on loan. Bench BFG play our captain next to F Q and play TW ffs
All the pundits can see we need the players can see it but he can’t. Tickets are up sports tops are up but he can’t find any money just makes me sick
I have never believed that Benz is coming! Didn’t Wenger say last year or 2 ago that Benz & Oli are in comp for the France team so having them I’m comp at AFC wouldn’t be good because 1 of them will be on the bench, thus hurting their chances for national team. He said something along them lines. I would like him to be a Gunner but I just don’t see it happening unfortunately.
With CFC getting Pedro does that mean that Cuadrado or Oscar (or someone else) moving on to another team? (poss Juve??)
Looks like some wheels are starting to turn. I wonder if Le Prof has eyes on anyone??
Also, with PSG getting Di Maria maybe someone else will become available from there? Cavani would be nice (Rabiot on loan wouldn’t surprise me doe!) or even Ibra (LOL I wish! But u gotta dare to Zlatan eh?)
Maybe Cuadrado/Oscar to PSG, Cavani to AFC?? Come on Wenger work your magic 😉
Plus, what’s Javi saying at Bayern now that they have Vidal? I swear Martinez said he doesn’t want to play as CB and also he hasn’t been getting in to the team as much as he’d like didn’t he??
Bayern stop playing and give us Robert, we got that #9 shirt waiting for him 😉 can you imagine the shirt sales lol
even aguiro need 4 shoots to make 1 goal…. why complaining about Girud, he is WC… or do youl like Costa? where is Costa?