Arsenal and Chelsea have been linked with a move for 36-year-old French striker Karim Benzema, who wants to leave Al-Ittihad.
Karim Benzema joined Al-Ittihad in the summer transfer window, but he is keen on a return to Europe now. The French striker has 17 goal contributions across all competitions, and he could prove to be a useful acquisition for Arsenal and Chelsea during the second half of the season.
But a report from The Athletic has claimed that Chelsea have now decided not to pursue the experienced 36-year-old striker. Similarly, a report from TEAMtalk has added that Arsenal have ruled out a move for Benzema as well.
Karim Benzema on the Move?
There is no doubt that the former Real Madrid striker would have been a quality addition in the short term. But it seems that the two Premier League clubs are prioritising long-term additions.
Arsenal need to bring in a quality striker, and Benzema would have been an upgrade on Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian striker has scored just three goals in the league this season, and Arsenal will need better players at their disposal to compete for major trophies.
They cannot hope to win the league title with a toothless attack, and it remains to be seen whether they can sign a reliable goalscorer soon. Meanwhile, Chelsea signed Nicolas Jackson to solve their goalscoring problems. But the former Villarreal striker has not been able to leave up to the expectations.
His performances have been rather underwhelming and he will need to be replaced in the coming months. Both clubs have been linked with the number of strikers in recent weeks, and it will be interesting to see if they can plug the gaps in their squad during the summer transfer window.
As for Benzema, he is keen on returning to Europe, and it will be interesting to see if any club is willing to provide him with an exit route. He is unlikely to leave the Saudi Arabian club permanently after just a few months, and a loan deal seems more likely.
The opportunity to join either of Chelsea and Arsenal would have been an exciting proposition for the experienced striker, and he could have relished the opportunity to showcase his qualities in English football. It will be interesting to see where he ends up eventually.
