Yahoo Sport 
Hot football transfer gossip: Zaza, Benzema, Ronaldo, Austin
We’re entering the most exciting time of the transfer season for Arsenal. It’s the start of a four-month period where the Gunners will be linked to numerous strikers of varying quality, and their fans can debate which one will be the man who can turn them into a championship-winning team. It will all get a bit boring and frustrating when the actual transfer window reopens, because experience tells is it’s highly unlikely that Arsene Wenger will sign the striker who satisfies the supporters. But let’s not think about that - it’s ages away. For now, let’s just focus on the hot, sweet transfer gossip that might - but won’t - one day become reality. Let’s focus on the strikers that Arsenal will reportedly, allegedly buy in January.
Today, the most prominent name on that particular list is Simone Zaza - a 24-year-old Juventus forward with six caps for Italy and 0 appearances for Juventus. According to the Express, Arsenal are “preparing” a £22m bid for Zaza in the January transfer window. It will presumably be a quite exquisitely assembled offer given that the Gunners have such a long time to prepare it.
There are a couple of others things we know about Zaza. The first is that West Ham tried to get him on loan last month, but failed. The second is that Juve signed him for £13m in the summer, but haven’t yet played him. So why Arsenal would be preparing a bid of almost double that amount is unclear.
Maybe it’s because Arsene Wenger has seen the latest Karim Benzema news, which is very similar to the previous Karim Benzema news. The French striker has reiterated, possibly for the benefit of Arsenal fans who didn’t believe him the first time, that he is very happy at Real Madrid, reports the Standard.
A man who would do an excellent job up front for Arsenal is Cristiano Ronaldo, so maybe they should make a bid for him. That might sound silly, but Paris Saint-Germain did it. It happened on the last day of the transfer window, claims the Express. The French club’s £110m offer was rejected, but at least they can say they tried.
Meanwhile, the latest news about Charlie Austin not signing for anyone is that Charlie Austin didn’t sign for Newcastle, who were allegedly offered the QPR striker in part-exchange for Magpies youngster Rolando Aarons by “an agent representing QPR” on deadline day, but they said no.
