Arsene Wenger ready to make Karim Benzema Arsenal’s top earner

It appears the man Wenger really wants is Benzema with the Express reporting earlier this week that we’d tabled an improved £35m offer for the striker after Madrid had turned down our opening £31m bid.

Speaking to the Weekend Sports Breakfast show, he said: “If you’re not the champions and your striker, Olivier Giroud, didn’t start the FA Cup final last season, there are question marks over that position and maybe they need to be addressed”.

Meanwhile, Arsenal confirmed yesterday that both Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla have signed long-term contract extensions at the club.

While the wait for Benzema continues, the London club are preparing to announce the signing of an unknown French striker, Ismael Bennacer, who plays for Arles-Avignon in a lower league in France.

Today, Karim Benzema is in the news once again….

Keown was part of the 2003/04 squad which went the entire season without losing a game – and believes that a top name striker would bring the feel-good factor back to the Emirates.

Benzema would certainly be a fine addition to the Gunners squad, having proven himself to be a reliable goalscorer during his six-year spell with Los Blancos.

Arsenal have picked up veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech during the summer transfer window, but Wenger is still seeking to add a couple more pieces to the Gunners’ puzzle in the next month, and hope to add a key piece when their Benzema deal is approved.