Arsenal Set To Table €20m Midfielder 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, Gooner Mac brings us news of Arsenal’s interest in Lars Bender.

Arsenal are ready to submit a renewed offer of €20m (£17m) for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender as Arsene Wenger looks to bring in a replacement for Mikel Arteta, according to the Metro.

The boss confirmed last night that he’s set to extend his stay at the club and is reportedly going to be handed a transfer kitty of at least £70m to spend this summer, with a whole host of names have been linked with a move to the Emirates in recent months.

One such name that keeps cropping up is that of Lars Bender and the Metro claim we’re now set to renew our interest in the German international after having a £15m bid turned down last summer.

Arsene has been tracking the 24-year-old for some time and the report suggests he’s now ready to try his luck again with an improved €20m (£17m) offer at the end of the season with the defensive midfielder eyed as the perfect long-term replacement for Mikel Arteta.

Manchester United and Real Madrid are also understood to be interested but the newspaper claims that Arsenal are the front-runners and are hopeful they can secure a deal.

I certainly hope there is some truth in this report as not only do we desperately need to replace Arteta in the starting eleven for next season, but Bender would be a superb addition to the squad.

Mikel has been a great pro for us but he simply doesn’t have the legs to compete in the top games and his lack of pace has been badly exposed at times this season, especially when he didn’t have Aaron Ramsey to bail him out in recent months.

Bender on the other hand has all the attributes we require and I’d be delighted if we could lure him to North London this summer, so fingers crossed Wenger can pull this one off.

READ MORE: Arsenal team news ahead of Newcastle

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