Should Arsenal complete this £37.5m double swoop?

Arsenal recently found their lead a top of the Premier League table cut to a meagre two points. Whilst this isn’t exactly cause to man the panic stations, it does act as a sign that things aren’t going quite as well as some would like to think.

This Arsenal side isn’t as infallible as it looked earlier in the season. This is particularly true in two positions: the defense and upfront.

We saw how much weaker the Gunners looked at the back without their German giant, Per Mertesacker. Thomas Vermaelen is still a decent centre-back, but Per seems to be a level above.

Then there’s the right-back position which currently needs some work. Bacary Sagna’s contract is up at the end of the year and it doesn’t look like new terms are going to be agreed. His fill-in, Carl Jenkinson, just doesn’t look ready for regular Premier Leaue action.

Upfront, Arsenal only have Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman has done a good job this year, but is facing a rather lonely existence. The only other striker close to a first team birth is the hapless Nicklas Bendtner. If the Gunners don’t sign another top forward this January, I really can’t see them competing for the title this season.

Luckily, The Star have come up with solutions to both issues. They claim that the Gunners are eyeing up Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and Manchester City right back Micah Richards with a view to a double January swoop.

Richards has risen to prominence once more under Manuel Pellegrini, but may still feel his chances would be better at the Emirates. To top things off, he’s also an Arsenal fan. With a £10m price-tag, he’s certainly affordable given the Gunners’ current budget.

Benzema will cost a fair bit more, but then he is one of the best strikers in world football. It’s suggested that he could cost around £27.5m, and that he would request £150,000 wages. It would mean another big investment on the part of Arsenal football club.

But it’d be worth it. Benzema’s reputation has declined this season, but he’s still a fine finisher, technically gifted and highly-motivated.

Together the two would cost £37.5m. That’s a whole heap of money, but if it wins Arsenal the Premier League, few fans would complain.

What’s your take? Should Arsenal complete a double swoop for Micah Richards and Karim Benzema?

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