It still looks as though this deal will go right down to the wire and will be done in the last few days of the summer transfer window, if it is done. So be prepared for a whole lot more Arsenal transfer rumours about the Real Madrid and France international star Karim Benzema in the next few weeks.
We will all be thoroughly sick of hearing and reading about the striker by then perhaps, but if he ends up playing for the Gunners this season it will all have been worth it. And there are very good reason for Arsenal fans to be optimistic that this brilliant signing will happen.
As reported by Sky Sports the other day, Rafa Benitez tried to play down the speculation about Benzema and Gareth Bale and while his words about the Welshman were confident and unambiguous, the same was not true of the Frenchman.
He said, “Gareth is a huge player for us and I know that he’s happy.
“My answer is that I think Benzema is going to stay with us. I’m very happy with him. There’s no reason to think that he’s going to go.”
Think eh? And that fits with what La Liga expert Graham Hunter told Talksport yesterday. As well as declaring that the decision on the move was almost completely in Benzema´s hands, he claimed that Real Madrid were fairly keen to do the deal because they need the money.
So with Madrid final pre-season game just a few days before the end of the transfer window, Benitez needs to convince the player that he is a key and valued member of the Madrid team and that does not look like happening. So is Benzema bound for north London? We can only wait and hope…