Biggest issue if Benzema becomes available

He makes 7.4 million pounds a year (yes... pounds). That's over 142k pounds a week. Can Arsenal afford that? How does that compare to the other top players on the team?

Fabregas is the highest earner and he earns what? 120k per week.

this might be an issue if Wenger is planning to sign a word class striker whether its Benzema or Higuain or Eto'o perhaps.

The highest earner on the team is Cesc Fabregas, who earns £110,000 p/w.

He's the only player in the whole squad with a wage of £100,000 p/w or more. Van Persie and Arshavin both earn about £80,000 p/w.

Can Arsenal afford it? We probably could if we get rid of the deadweight on high wages like Denilson and Bendtner (both on something around £40,000 p/w). Either way, we'd be stretching it a little. Arsenal generally prefer to give players high-ish wages (say, £60,000 to £80,000) and then offer them improved deals if they really prove themselves.

Make him realize how grim his situation is. If another striker comes to Madrid, especially Aguero, he's destined to spend most of his days on the bench.

Therefore, he either has the option of:

1. Staying in Madrid, warm the bench and get wasted away while earning 7.4m.

2. Coming to Arsenal, take a wage cut, possibly become a fan favourite and the new face of Arsenal and play week in week out.

If other clubs like United, Chelsea and, undoubtedly, City are also sniffing about I'm not sure we'd be able to convince him to take a wage cut.

It's difficult to imagine him taking something like a £42,000 cut, though in principle it would make sense to sacrifice a bit of cash in favour of getting first team football at a club where he would well and truly be valued.

If we are getting rid of a lot of deadwood, let's allocate those funds as higher wages for Nasri, Cesc, RVP and Benz. That'll dispel the issue of pay parity and make Benzema more likely to come..

There is no way Arsenal should pay Benzema more then RVP.

we can definitely afford it. its just a matter of whether or not arsene/the board/kroenke are willing to make him the highest wage earner.

Raptorgunner wrote:There is no way Arsenal should pay Benzema more then RVP.

Then perhaps we should make RVP a much more well paid player than he is now..

I would be very disappointed if a deal for Benz hits a snag not because of transfer fees, but wages..

While we're at it, why not make a cheeky bid for Van der Vaart?

I wouldn't be too disappointed with missing out on Benzema, since at this stage with Fabregas still at the club he'd be a luxury signing. If Fabregas was sold then Benzema becomes a necessary signing.

As it is, Fabregas is going nowhere.

GoonerJay29 wrote:I wouldn't be too disappointed with missing out on Benzema, since at this stage with Fabregas still at the club he'd be a luxury signing. If Fabregas was sold then Benzema becomes a necessary signing.

As it is, Fabregas is going nowhere.

Your logic makes sense, but Cesc will move on sooner or later. If we do not go for Benz, someone else will, and we will miss out on a hugely talented player.

GoonerJay29 wrote:I wouldn't be too disappointed with missing out on Benzema, since at this stage with Fabregas still at the club he'd be a luxury signing. If Fabregas was sold then Benzema becomes a necessary signing.

As it is, Fabregas is going nowhere.

The main thing is to hold on to Nasri and Fabregas and the looks of it they will both stay. The me media did their job try to turn Nasri in to a traitor and rebel, what ever they could think off but it didn't work.
With these 2 guys in the squad goals will come.

ahsanasif wrote:

GoonerJay29 wrote:I wouldn't be too disappointed with missing out on Benzema, since at this stage with Fabregas still at the club he'd be a luxury signing. If Fabregas was sold then Benzema becomes a necessary signing.

As it is, Fabregas is going nowhere.

Your logic makes sense, but Cesc will move on sooner or later. If we do not go for Benz, someone else will, and we will miss out on a hugely talented player.

You know what something I have come to believe that Cesc has come to the conclusion that he is not wanted in Barcelona. Wenger job is to surround him with good players so he can compete for trophies. As long as Wenger is the manager of Arsenal Cesc will stay.

Raptorgunner wrote:

ahsanasif wrote:

GoonerJay29 wrote:I wouldn't be too disappointed with missing out on Benzema, since at this stage with Fabregas still at the club he'd be a luxury signing. If Fabregas was sold then Benzema becomes a necessary signing.

As it is, Fabregas is going nowhere.

Your logic makes sense, but Cesc will move on sooner or later. If we do not go for Benz, someone else will, and we will miss out on a hugely talented player.

You know what something I have come to believe that Cesc has come to the conclusion that he is not wanted in Barcelona. Wenger job is to surround him with good players so he can compete for trophies. As long as Wenger is the manager of Arsenal Cesc will stay.

We can never be completely sure of Cesc reaching this conclusion, Raptor. I would be ecstatic if Cesc remained at Arsenal for the rest of his career, but his ties with the Catalans are too deep to let that happen. I am resigned to losing him, and every year he stays is a bonus.

Secondly, Karim Benzema would be a genuine WC signing, and if there's anything in the world that'd make Cesc stay and Nasri signing on, it would be signing Benz.

Just my two cents though mate.

I just don't think we need to adjust the formation at this particular stage to accomodate signing Benzema. I'm aware he can play on the left, but Arsenal are already well stocked in those positions as well.

Basically, we already have a world class striker in van Persie and a good backup in Chamakh and also Gervinho when he eventually signs (provided he is actually joining us). If it's anywhere on the pitch where we don't need a world class player, it's in attack.

If Benzema were a defensive midfielder, on the other hand...

Haha I feel you man. I said in a previous post that our summer would be incomplete if we don't get a back up DM.

I believe Benz could perform very well as a winger, so a change in formation isn't really needed. And we haven't foreseen for how long RVP gets injured this time (Heaven forbid), so I wouldn't count on that..

Before the beginning of every season, we have WC class players and excellent back ups. Fast forward a month, and our squad is almost threadbare. I'm all for signing Benz to combat this particular issue. That there is someone in the squad who can fit the boots of RVP and help us carry on with our business through our ever-present injury crises.

Benzema has one year left on his contract and the price Madrid have on him is too much.

According to Jamie Sanderson, the Young Guns blogger, we had legitimate interest in Benzema last January but not at the moment, since Real Madrid don't want to sell.

If i am not mistaken Benzema earns 140k.per week after tax.Arsenal have to offer 280k/per to match those wages.Not just a small pay cut some are referring here.

Raptorgunner wrote:Benzema has one year left on his contract and the price Madrid have on him is too much.

Maybe he'll come on a Bosman free next summer

Okay, that was shooting for the moon... Realistically, I'm sorry to say this, that though Melo/Hazard/Benzema/Sakho/M'Villa are our dream signings, I don't see any of them happening, not this summer atleast.. Heres why:

Melo/M'Villa - The obvious problem is we Have Frimpong and Coquelin coming through and Wenger would rather depend on the players coming through than go buy another deep midfielder... Not to forget, Lansbury and Bartley are also capable of filling in.. With Fabregas up front, we also have the option to rotate Wilshere and Ramsey..

Sakho - We are well endowed in defense in terms of numbers now.. Our defense includes TV/Kos/Djou with Bartley and Song who can fill in.. The ofcourse, we have Ignasi Miquel.. Oh yeah, there is some guy with that #18 jersey too right? Add Samba coming in to that mix..

Hazard - Winger. Our current options include Nasri/Theo/Arshavin/Rosick and RvP when he is pushed to the wing to bring in Chamakh upfront in matches where we trail.. Then there is Vela who is poised for first team this season.. And now we are signing Gervinho.. Plus Hazard doesn't want to leave, yet..

And finally, the topic of this thread after my digression on our dream signings

Benzema - Even if we get him for free, his wages are out of the roof and I don't see him taking a cut, no matter what Wenger or the board has to say about it.. Today, the only reason football becomes bigger than the money is in case of players like Wilshere and RvP, cause the passion and love for the club brings in loyatly.. I don't see why Benzema would be in love with Arsenal, since he would have moved to the emirated instead of Bernabeu if he did love us.. We were heavily linked with him back then as well..

Given ACN, I just see some youth being promoted or us making a loan signing in the January..

I don't understand how RM is going about their transfers though, maybe I should lurk on their forums a bit..

Benzema has two years left on his contract (2013) and the club has the option to extend an extra year. So in reality, it's three more years.

As far as wage cut, there's no way he'll go for it. Besides man city, man u, juve, the two Milan clubs, Chelsea, etc. will make bids. What Arsenal has goi for it is that he would prefer playing for Wenger. But not for less money.

sportsczy wrote:Benzema has two years left on his contract (2013) and the club has the option to extend an extra year. So in reality, it's three more years.

As far as wage cut, there's no way he'll go for it. Besides man city, man u, juve, the two Milan clubs, Chelsea, etc. will make bids. What Arsenal has goi for it is that he would prefer playing for Wenger. But not for less money.

Thats about the only edge we seem to have.. Now I don't see us signing him in the near future to be honest..

And ofcourse that source from French NT saying he asked Nasri to stay at Arsenal till his RM future go sorted out..

Its simply not possible..
If we could buy Benzema and pay him above 100k per week.. There would not have been the Nasri situation..
That should not happen when RVP who has been with us for long gets 80k.. So i feel we dont need him if he demands such pay...
Thats the problem with high profile signings.. It disturbs our system.. And if it does not go well everything collapses.. So why take the risk.. Wenger knows..