Real Madrid Ready To Sell Benzema To Arsenal To Fund Mammoth Suarez Bid

As we approach the business end of the season clubs are starting to make plans for the summer transfer market so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Real Madrid are linked with Luis Suarez.

The season isn’t even over yet and rumours of Luis Suarez leaving Liverpool have already begun with the Express reporting that Real Madrid are ready to sell Karim Benzema to Arsenal in order to fund a mammoth move for the Uruguayan this summer.

Madrid were strongly linked with Suarez last summer after he went public with his desire to leave Anfield but Liverpool dug their heels in and refused to sell. That’s obviously turned out to be a major turning point in the clubs history as Suarez’s 30 goals look likely to lead Liverpool towards their first Premier League title.

However, it seems the La Liga giants aren’t going to let Liverpool’s success this season stop them trying to land Suarez with the Express claiming they are confident they will be able to persuade the striker to make the move to the Bernabeu this summer, with president Florentino Perez keen on pairing the 26-year-old with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale next season.

If successful, they would no doubt have one of the most formidable attacks in recent memory but it’s going to take a huge offer for Liverpool to even consider selling their star man, especially if they go on to win the title this season.

The newspaper suggests that Madrid realise they will have to come up with something special to tempt the Merseysiders so they are ready to cash-in on Karim Benzema  to help raise the funds, with Arsenal understood to be in the driving seat for his signature despite interest from Juventus.

Benzema’s contract expires in 2015 and although he’s been in excellent form this season, scoring 23 goals and providing 14 assists in 46 games, it appears Real are willing to sacrifice the Frenchman in order to make room for Suarez.

Arsenal are expected to be in the market for a top class striker this summer and Arsene Wenger would no doubt be interested in taking the 26-year-old to the Emirates to pair him up with former team-mate Mesut Ozil if given the opportunity.

But I’m not sure Real are going to be able to come up with a bid tempting enough to convince Liverpool to sell Suarez, despite what the Express are reporting. The South American signed a new contract earlier in the season, so the Reds would be under no pressure to sell now they are guaranteed to be back in the Champions League next season, and Brendan Rodgers is hardly going to want to tear apart everything he’s built this season by selling his best player.

Suarez has also looked happy and content at Anfield this year, so there is nothing to suggest he’d even want to move to Spain should Madrid manage to agree a fee with Liverpool.

I’m sure there is going to be increasing speculation surrounding the future of Suarez after his devastating form this season, but a move this summer looks unlikely unless Real came in with a bid in excess of say £100m. Even if they managed to sell Benzema to Arsenal for somewhere in the region of £35m-£40m, then they’d still have to come up with a vast sum and it remains to be seen whether they’d be able to, particularly when they have FIFA’s Financial Fair Play rules to consider.

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So, while Liverpool fans may have to get used to the speculation that’s inevitably going to occur over the next few months, I wouldn’t worry about him leaving. Which is bad news for Arsenal as they’ll most likely have to look elsewhere for a new striker if Benzema isn’t sold.

Do you think there’s any chance Suarez would leave Liverpool? What striker would Arsenal fans like the club to sign? Share your views below.