Arsenal target Karim Benzema set to sign new Real Madrid deal with £900m buyout clause

Arsenal have been handed a huge blow in any attempts to sign France international forward Karim Benzema, according to The Sun.

The Premier League side, who face FC Koln in their opening UEFA Europa League tie on Thursday night, have been continuously linked with a mega-money move for the Real Madrid striker during previous transfer windows.

The 29-year-old, who has 81 international caps for his country, has scored one goal and provided one assist in six appearances in all competitions for the defending La Liga champions so far this term.

Benzema, who arrived at the Bernabeu back in 2009 following his move from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon, netted 19 goals in all competitions last season for Zinedine Zidane’s side, who also won the UEFA Champions League.

However, the report suggests Gunners boss Arsene Wenger’s long-term target is set to extend his contract at Madrid by a further two years, with his latest deal set to expire in 2019.

Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema.

But the major blow comes with the inclusion of a colossal £900m buyout clause, shattering any hopes of Arsenal luring the Frenchman to the Emirates Stadium.

Benzema has scored 182 goals overall for Madrid in 371 outings.

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