'Benzema will stay' - Benitez rules out Arsenal switch

Posted Tuesday, August 04, 2015 by Goal.com

The Spanish coach is confident the French attacker will remain at the Santiago Bernabeu and refused to talk about signing David de Gea from Manchester United

Rafael Benitez says he has no reason to believe that Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid this summer.

Goal revealed in May that Arsenal had identified Benzema as a potential acquisition, with the Gunners believing that the France international would be open to a move to the Emirates.

It is understood that Arsenal are happy to play a waiting game as they attempt to secure the striker’s signature, but Benitez is not expecting any late developments ahead of the new season.

"Benzema, I think, is going to stay with us," he told reporters ahead of his side's Audi Cup semi-final clash with Tottenham. "I am very happy with him. I have no reason to think he will go."

The Spanish coach is happy with the squad he has got but believes more signings will be made as they look to improve on last season, in which they lost out on La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey to Barcelona, though he refused to comment on the potential signing of David De Gea from Manchester United.

"I said before that Madrid have signed some players and have a great squad, but I aim to improve the team and to be as competitive as we have always been.

"I have said in five press conferences that I do not want to talk about players of other teams. We have very good goalkeepers in Keylor Navas and Kiko Casilla."

Benitez was also full of praise for Gareth Bale, whom he expects to recover from a poor 2014-15 campaign and be a key player for Los Blancos next term.

"Gareth is a huge player for us. I know he wants to play well, he is happy and going to have a good safe season."