How many of Arsenal supporters will be enticed by the prospect of signing a new striker? How many of these supporters will be happy if the striker being signed is Karim Benzema?
It is public knowledge that the French striker Benzema is a long term target of Arsenal and manager Arsene Wenger. Even before joining Real Madrid and through his tenure at the Los Blancos, Benzema is tracked with sincerity and anticipation.
Even this transfer window, the anticipation is that Benzema could be available for transfer. At the first sign of any such event, Wenger wants to pounce. That explains the reason for looking at the new reign of Rafa Benitez with eagerness.
The former Liverpool manager Benitez has been appointed the latest Real Madrid coach. And one of the first things he mentioned is his desire to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale play in more central roles. This could mean early trouble and less game time for Benzema.
The club has categorically denied that the Frenchman is available for any transfer. But, reports coming from Spain indicate that Benzema may not be receptive to the idea of sitting on the bench in the early part of the season. He is a favourite of Madrid president Florentino Perez. But, Arsenal still hope to clinch a deal similar to the coup they managed with Mesut Ozil. The German midfielder was a deadline day signing in 2013 from Real Madrid.
Wenger is a long term admirer of Benzema and is also looking to add a top quality forward to his squad. It is not every day that a striker of the pedigree of Benzema is available. And so, the moment he becomes available, there would be a rush for his signature. Definitely Manchester United will try to compete with Arsenal.
Wenger is more or less certain that Benzema could be the missing link to his puzzle as he pushes for Premier League glory. Could he wait till the last day of the transfer window for him? Possibly yes, because there are not many quality options available in the market.
Gonzalo Higuain of Napoli is another option for Wenger but he hopes silently that Benzema becomes available in August. The unassuming striker is one of the success stories for Real Madrid. He has been scoring more than 20 goals in a season for the past 5 years at the Spanish capital city. Unfortunately, he rarely gets the credit that is due to him.
Could Arsenal be the place where he finally gets his credit? Possibly! Hopefully Wenger’s wish of landing Benzema succeeds this year.
Sridhar