First of all, Gooners, I do think that Arsenal should not really have a problem completing this transfer if Arsene Wenger and the board are serious about it and don’t do the usual trick of penny pinching and dithering. But if the Gunners do mess about in the transfer pursuit of Lars Bender, then it could all end in disappointment.
According to the Daily Express, Arsenal are now ready to ramp up our interest in the 25-year old Germany and Bayer Leverkusen star to fill the holding midfield role, after reports from Spain that Sami Khedira looks like staying in Spain’s La Liga and signing a new contract with Real Madrid after all.
Bender has fully recovered from the injury that cruelly robbed him of his place in the World Cup winning Germany national team this summer. But he is now back and has been a massive part of his club’s climb up the Bundesliga into sixth, while they also sit on top of their Champions League group and need just one point from the next two games to guarantee a place in the next round.
Because Bender extended his contract a year ago, Leverkusen will want full value for their central midfield star, which could be around £25 million. And if the Gunners do not make a move for him soon, the fact that FC Barcelona are also very keen on him could come into play. At the minute the Catalan club is banned fr4om the transfer market, but the longer we leave it the more chance there is of Bender thinking it might be worth the wait.
So should Wenger make sure to sign Bender in the January transfer window?