Yahoo Sport 
Hot football transfer gossip: Benzema ‘awaits £50m Arsenal bid’
Karim Benzema. Arsenal. Take those three words, make a story out of them and see what you come up with.
That’s the creative writing exercise Daily Star journalists were apparently given over the weekend, and the result this morning is an enjoyable tale about a £50m Frenchman who is “ready” to move to north London. In a nice touch, the Star have published the winning entry in their sports pages.
The story, which is called Karim Benzema is Ready to Join Arsenal, conjures a vivid image of the Real Madrid striker with a suitcase packed, flicking through an English language phrase book, waiting patiently outside his house for a cab to take him to the airport.
The story says that Benzema will strongly consider moving to Arsenal if they make a £50m bid for him “in the next 48 hours”. That bit was good because it added an exciting deadline element. Benzema’s desire to move is cleverly revealed via “a source close to the Bernabeu”, which could be Cristiano Ronaldo or the man who sells hot dogs outside the stadium - it’s impossible to know. The story adds that Arsenal have not yet made any bid for Benzema, meaning he is still waiting for that cab.
Although this is a fun yarn, a few things have happened in the real world that contradict it - such as Benzema’s departure from Madrid being ruled out at various times this summer by his agent, his manager and by Benzema himself - but that doesn’t matter because it’s just a story. And the tale even has a shocking twist at the end, when it says the only reason Arsenal haven’t bid for Benzema yet is because they are scared Manchester United will copy them.
The Evening Standard reports that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has said he is ready to “take a gamble” on a player before the transfer window closes. But that would suggest he is lining up a £4m bid for an 18-year-old French starlet no one has heard of, rather than a big-money move for a finished article like Benzema. Either that or he’s planning to swoop for Mario Balotelli.
Another fanciful transfer tale - Neymar to Man Utd - is still rumbling on with the Guardian claiming that the Brazilian would consider a move to Old Trafford but probably not until next summer. Which might as well be a million years away in football terms.
Depressingly for United fans, Sky Sports suggests the same thing about the Red Devils’ pursuit of Gareth Bale. On the bright side, United’s front line next year will be amazing.
In other news, Tottenham could have some competition to sign Saido Berahino after West Brom manager Tony Pulis revealed that 15 clubs are interested in buying the striker. And yes, he has counted them.
