Transfers: Arsenal ready to launch €65million bid for Karim Benzema

Arsene Wenger might be playing it coy over reports he is interested in signing Karim Benzema but the news in Spain suggests otherwise

The Arsenal boss has frequently dismissed the links to the France forward, but Spanish newspaper AS claims Wenger has sidelined all his other transfer business, including the need for a new central defender, to focus on a €65million deal for the Real Madrid striker. The paper writes: "The club’s technical department are studying other options but until they have used up every resource to land the Madrid striker, other candidates will remain secondary to Wenger’s plans." Manchester United will be busy once Angel di Maria's move to PSG is finalised but any hope they might get wantaway Barca forward Pedro on the cheap will be dispelled as the Catalans hold out for the full release fee of €30million. Ed Woodward is believed to be travelling to Spain in the next 24 hours to complete the transfer. https://twitter.com/GuillemBalague/status/628115104425472001 One player who still very much has a future at Old Trafford is Ashley Young, whose United career blossomed in his first year under Louis van Gaal and has been rewarded with the offer of a new three-year contract that will take him to 34 years of age. (Star) While Manchester United have been linked with several of Real Madrid's top names this summer, Liverpool have also been window-shopping at the Bernabeu, albeit in the seconds bin. Links with midfielder Asier Illarramendi have gone quiet, but a £15million move for Russian winger Denis Cheryshev, who spent last season on loan at Villarreal, remains a real possibility. (Telegraph) The rest: The French are big fans of Manchester City youngster Marco Lopes, with Marseille, Lyon and Monaco chasing the 19-year-old Portuguese. (Mail) Leicester City have signed defender Yohan Benalouane from Atalanta for £5.6million. When Alan Pardew runs out of Newcastle players to target, he doesn't switch his gaze far. Sunderland's Connor Wickham is on the Crystal Palace boss's radar. (Croyden Advertiser) Middlesbrough are to increase their offer for Blackburn forward Jordan Rhodes to £14million, having already had a bid of £12million turned away. (Mail)