Chelsea handed major boost with Karim Benzema transfer as Arsenal withdraws interest

Chelsea have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Al-Ittihad frontman, Karim Benzema with a move to Arsenal already ruled out.

While Arsenal fans may have been hoping to see Benzema grace the Emirates Stadium, Mikel Arteta has already ruled out the prospect of signing a new frontman this month. Following the Gunners’ defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup, the Spaniard said: “At the moment it does not look realistic.

According to reports, the Frenchman has been heavily linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge this month as Mauricio Pochettino aims to further bolster his squad.

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Benzema, who signed a three-year deal worth £258million in the summer, has featured 15 times for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League this season, scoring nine goals and providing five assists. Despite having only recently left Real Madrid, the Frenchman already faces an uncertain future in the Middle East.

According to the MailOnline, the 36-year-old has been left out of Al-Ittihad’s mid-season training camp in Dubai after repeatedly failing to report for duty. However, Benzema’s entourage have reportedly insisted that he is stuck in Mauritius, where he was on holiday, due to extreme weather conditions.

It remains to be seen whether the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner will touch down in the Premier League this month, but one thing for sure is that a move to Arsenal is off the cards – which will be music to Todd Boehly’s ears.

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In an interview with Journal du Dimanche in October 2015, as quoted by the Mirror, Benzema was asked if he would ever consider leaving Real Madrid to join Arsenal.

He replied: “I laugh about it with my brother and my friends. We wait for the media to come out with these rumours. In my opinion, I think that Real and Barca are the pinnacle in football. Why would I leave? I’m a starter for the best club in the world. I am happy; it’s that simple.”