Arsenal boss plans to spend big in Spain
Arsene Wenger said earlier this week that he would be "very active" in the summer transfer market and contrary to suggestions that he was just saying what the majority of Arsenal fans wanted to hear, it appears that he is committed to the idea of seriously strengthening his squad.
While the French tactician has admitted that the Gunners aren't in a position to shop for £50 million men like Real Madrid have done of late, he does seem surprisingly willing to break his own club's record fee judging by comments that he made about the Spanish side's striker Karim Benzema.
He is quoted in the Daily Mirror as saying: "Viewed from the outside, it doesn't seem impossible. He's a player that I like. I think he is intelligent in his movement and capable of combining well and making a difference, and of doing individual moves as well. So, for me he's a player who's at the top level in the world."
The French forward's future at the Bernabeu is unclear despite enjoying a second season that was a drastic improvement on his first, netting 26 times in all competitions, because the suspicion remains that boss Jose Mourinho prefers both Gonzalo Higuain and on-loan Emmanuel Adebayor to him.
It was thought that president Florentino Perez would insist on the 23-year-old being retained having paid over £30 million to sign him on his return to Real Madrid in 2009, but with the likes of Sergio Aguero and Fernando Llorente potentially available to buy, it is believed that he could make way.
Benzema is said to be valued at around £20 million, yet the former Lyon man isn't the only attacking talent linked with a move to the Emirates right now, as Lille's Gervinho is predicted by talkSPORT to be the subject of a £10 million bid after scoring 15 and setting up nine for the Ligue 1 winners.
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Published: 25 May 2011
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