Arsenal Ready to Make Record Breaking Move for £22.5m Real Madrid Striker Karim Benzema

Emirates boss hopes to lure Bernabeu star to North London.

Arsenal are ready to make a significant bid for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema this summer as Arsene Wenger looks to improve his side’s striking options. The French international has long been a target of the North London club and the Gunners boss will hope that the lure of regular first team football may tempt the former Lyon striker.

The 23 year old Bernabeu star is very much a back up player and though he initially failed to make the most of his run in the first team, that came as a result of long term injury to Argentine Gonzalo Higuain, a run of good form has led to the Real Madrid man netting 22 goals this season.

However Jose Mourinho has made it abundantly clear that he will be looking to refresh his attacking options with a move to sign another striker which will in turn leave Benzema once again warming the bench and could lead to the powerful forward looking to leave the Spanish giants.

Arsenal have had to rely heavily on Robin Van Persie for firepower over the past couple of seasons and injury concerns plague the Dutch international who has missed more games than he has started during his seven years at the club. New signing Marouane Chamakh started the season brightly but has looked well off the pace since Christmas and back up alternatives Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela are tipped to leave the club at the end of the season.

Whilst Arsene Wenger is known for being something of a spendthrift after six seasons without tangible success or silverware, the Frenchman is ready to make big name moves to help appease the star players he has at the club who are looking for a statement of intent in the form of established star signings this summer.

Real Madrid be looking for at least €25m (£22.5m) for Benzema and whilst that would represent a trasnfer record fee for Arsenal it is still some way below the €41m paid to Lyon for the young striker just under two years ago and a seemingly fair fee for a player of his age and potential.

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Chelsea And Manchester City Boosted By Wonderkid Striker Agent’s Words

Romelu Lukaku could yet move to Stamford Bridge or Eastlands.

Anderlecht’s young striking sensation Romelu Lukaku is headed for the Premier League, says one of the Continent’s best-known football agents.

The Belgium international is wanted by a whole host of top European clubs after shining in both the Belgium Jupiter League, as well as in the Champions League, with the 17 year old being likened to Chelsea’s Ivory Coast international front man Didier Drogba by many experts in the game.

And, it is the Premier League champions who are believed to be the player’s most likely next port of call after he leaves Anderlecht, most probably this summer, and super-agent Fabrizio Ferrari feels that the forward would be a great success in the English top flight.

“Juventus are interested in Lukaku but Anderlecht say they will sell him in the summer to a club in the Premier League, at his request, because he believes his characteristics are most suited to the Premier League,” Ferrari told Italian newspaper Tuttosport.

SOURCE: Sportingo

Romelu Lukaku has been linked with practically every major European football club, but the hysteria surrounding the Belgium international wonderkid has subsided somewhat since the January transfer window.

A loss of form and a series of niggly injuries have halted his progress somewhat, but for a 17 year-old that has to be expected.

The trouble for Lukaku is that he has been thrust into the limelight from such an early age – even having his own reality TV series – that he has not been able to grow gradually into a great player like his peers.

The likes of Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal, and even Wayne Rooney at Everton have had their appearances managed so expectation does not shoot through the roof.

Rooney was almost a regular for England before he was for Everton, with David Moyes doing his best to shield him even though he was ready.

Lukaku though was the top goalscorer in the entire Belgian Pro League at the age of 16, making it near impossible for his manager to leave him out.

He looks on course to beat his tally this season (though he is 4th in the top scorers at present).

There is no reason he cannot be the great player he is projected to become at a top club, and with Anderlecht believed to have lowered their asking price from £30m, perhaps Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich or his Manchester City counterpart Sheikh Mansour will renew their interest.

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Odemwingie Not Going To Be Sold Unless A Team Overbids

According to Christopher Lepkowski at the Birmingham Mail, West Bromwich do not plan on selling top striker Peter Odemwingie unless they receive a monster offer. Manager Roy Hodgson said,

“He’s a good player and we would like to keep him here … Whether we receive any offers or not, who can say? But I’m not sure there’s an awful lot of money around … Certainly we wouldn’t be looking to get rid of him so it would have to be the type of offer you can’t refuse and we know what top front players cost in the market.

“I’m not suggesting £50 million (paid by Chelsea for Fernando Torres) but they certainly cost top money, so it would be a question of what teams are out there with that sort of money to spend and whether Peter Odemwingie is the type of player they are looking for, so there are a lots of ifs and buts.

“I don’t take a lot of notice of the Juventus thing. Any agent in the world can always drum up an Italian club … When I was at Inter there wasn’t a day that went by when there weren’t 10 players we were supposedly signing … It would have run into thousands over two years.

“When I hear about Juventus I just shrug my shoulders. If you’re an English journalists thinking ‘who can I link him with?’ Inter and Juventus are always good bets … Peter seems perfectly happy here and he’s a joy to work and I think he has enjoyed his time here … I don’t think he’s looking to take the first opportunity to get out of the club.”

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Liverpool Plot Summer Move to Sign £10m Rated QPR Playmaker Adel Taarabt

Anfield Director of Football targets former Tottenham starlet.

Liverpool are reportedly lining up a move to sign QPR star Adel Taarabt this summer. The Moroccan international has been a big hit since his arrival from Tottenham and is now being trailed by a number of Premier League sides but the links between the 21 year old and Anfield director of football Damien Comolli may give the Merseyside club the edge in the chase for the playmaker’s signature.

Comolli is keen on bringing the former White Hart Lane starlet to Anfield and was the man who brought the young attacker to White Hart Lane in 2007 and is more than aware of what the talented youngster is capable of.

Having more or less secured promotion to the top tier QPR boss Neil Warnock must now try to keep Adel Taarabt at Loftus Road but that may be a tough task given that as well as interest from Liverpool the likes of Newcastle United and a plethora of Serie A side’s have taken a shine to the former Lens man.

Liverpool are looking to bring in more creative talent to their midfield and also have an eye for youthful signings with good sell on value and Adel Taarabt may helpfully fulfil all those criteria. Thus far this season the 21 year old has scored 18 goals and assisted another 15 and was named the Football League Player of the Year as a result.

£10m rated Taarabt can either play in the hole behind the strikers or on either wing and given that the likes of Joe Cole, Maxi, Milan Jovanovic and to a lesser extent, make-shift wide man Dirk Kuyt, have all failed to consistently make an impact, a move for the attacking midfielder would make a great deal of sense.

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