Benzema to Arsenal? Sources Say French Striker Could Move to Make Way for Suarez

It's happening again -- speculation that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez isn't happy with the current mix of players, coupled with the recent flood of Marca articles hand-wringing over Gareth Bale's health and adjustment to La Liga life, is re-opening the rumors about Luis Suarez coming to Real Madrid. And, since Real Madrid and Arsenal have already helped each other out by doing the Mesut Özil deal to help fund the Bale buy, they might team together once again for a deal that gives Arsenal a top-name Real player at a discount, while helping Real snatch a key player from an EPL rival.

Specifically, this rumor involves striker Karim Benzema, who, according to a sketchy English source and a sketchy Italian source, would move to Arsenal in January for £20M if Real can somehow convince Brendan Rodgers to part with Suarez in the midst of a potential title run. Though the French striker has been inconsistent for club and country of late -- scoring just his first goal for France in 1224 minutes of playing time this past Friday in a friendly against Australia -- he's been on the Arsenal transfer rumor list for a while, and if Real's really willing to let Benzema go for £20M, it might prove irresistible (even though he is cup-tied for Champions League matches, having scored a brace in the Sept. 17 6-1 drubbing of Galatasaray).

Then again, there are rumors of other strikers moving to Real in January, we know all too well what it's like to deal with Liverpool in Suarez negotiations, and 1224 minutes is a long time to not score a goal in international play when you're a renowned striker playing in World Cup qualifiers against the likes of Georgia and Belarus.

Though this is a rumor to be at least a bit skeptical about, the thought of Real and 'Pool trying to negotiate with other is, at the very least, chuckle-worthy.