Arsenal prepare £35m bid for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema

Arsenal have reportedly stepped up their interest in Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and are willing to make a £35m bid for the forward, according to Goal.com.

Arsene Wenger is a huge fan of the Frenchman and is willing to break the bank for the player, who can be the answer to the Gunners' goalscoring woes.

Benzema has scored 22 goals in 46 appearances this season for the reigning European Champions and will add speed and finesse to the attacking line at Arsenal, which is currently being held back by Olivier Giroud's lack of mobility up front.

Wenger is reportedly also keen on listening to offers for Giroud, who had a purple patch this season in February and March, but failed to live up to expectations as the months passed by.

He was dropped to the bench against West Bromwich Albion to make room for Theo Walcott, who scored a hat-trick to make a case for his inclusion into the first team for the FA Cup final against Aston Villa.

Arsenal need a top class striker to complement the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, who have given the Gunners some hope over the season and are on the verge of winning a third trophy in just over a year.

Wenger is also in the market to sign a defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper, with Morgan Schneiderlin and Petr Cech the favourites to fill the void.

Cech would be a massive upgrade on the likes of Wojciech Saczesny and David Ospina, with the former being relegated to the bench for his antics against Southampton on New Year's Day while Ospina has failed to convince the Arsenal crowd of his ability to be among the best keepers in the world.

Meanwhile, Schneiderlin has confirmed that he is undergoing talks with an English club in the Champions league, stating that he will be leaving Southampton in the summer.