Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on Arsenal transfer target Karim Benzema.
Arsenal have been linked with a shock move for Karim Benzema this month.
The veteran striker is currently plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad. However, things are not going swimmingly for the 36-year-old.
Fabrizio Romano has now reported the latest information on the Frenchman’s situation. Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, he said, “Karim returned to training with Al-Ittihad, he’s regularly training now with the squad but not with the rest of the group, he’s training by himself I am told, he’s training alone, it is a very tense situation between Benzema, people at the club, the manager, they are not happy at all with the current situation.”
Arsenal may well be tempted to take advantage of this disharmony to try to lure Benzema to the Emirates Stadium. The former Real Madrid man would certainly be an interesting addition to Mikel Arteta’s current squad.
The Gunners are in need of a new striker. Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have both failed to score consistently this season. Whilst Arsenal have been linked with a host of top level strikers, none will come cheaply, and a lack of financial resources is a real problem for the club at this time.
Could Arsenal strike a late deal for Karim Benzema?
It is possible that Al-Ittihad would be willing to allow Benzema to leave on loan, given his unsettled status at the club. Such a deal could prove affordable for the Gunners, and on a short-term basis the player would have something to offer. Benzema may also be attracted by the challenge of testing himself in the Premier League, given he has never featured in the division before.
Of course, the 97-cap former France international is not quite the player he once was, and Arteta could not rely on him to start matches week in, week out. He is more than capable of providing a solid rotation option, though, or of impacting matches from the bench.
He would also bring plenty of additional experience to the Arsenal dressing room. Benzema has enjoyed a glorious club career to date, winning four La Liga titles, four Ligue 1 titles, and five Champions League crowns, amongst numerous other honours. With Arsenal now targeting a Premier League title triumph of their own, having that kind of winning know-how in and around the squad can only prove to be helpful.
A surprise late swoop for the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner is something to keep an eye on as Arsenal’s opportunity to do any business at all in this January transfer window edges closer to passing them by entirely.
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