Arsenal: Karim Benzema laughs off rumours of a possible summer move to the Emirates

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has revealed that he was never close to making a move to the Premier League as he is more than satisfied starting for the best team in the world. The Frenchman has 10 goals this season for club and country and has started every game for the Spanish giants in the league thus far.

Manchester United and Arsenal were interested in his signature with the Gunners making him their priority target for the summer. Arsene Wenger is a huge fan of the Frenchman and had earmarked him as the missing link for his side to pile up a proper challenge for the title.

Louis van Gaal had also made enquiries for the 28-year-old as confirmed by club president Florentino Perez after failing to land his priority targets. However, Benzema insists that he goes through this phase every year when he and his family sit down and laugh at the rumours being circulated knowing well that a move out of Madrid is well off the cards.

"Never. Like every summer, I laugh about it with my brother and my friends. We wait for the media to come out with these rumours," Benzema told Journal du Dimanche, as quoted by the Evening Standard.

"In my opinion, I think that Real and Barca are the pinnacle in football. Why I would leave? I'm a starter for the best club in the world. I am happy; it's that simple."

Petr Cech was Arsenal's only first team signing this summer, as the Gunners became the only club in Europe's top five leagues to have not signed an outfield player. The gamble has not paid off as well as expected, with the Gunners struggling to get out of the group stages of the Champions League. However, their league results have shown promise, keeping them second in the league, only two points behind Manchester City.