Another transfer window, another link with Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender.

You may have seen various reports on Friday saying that Arsenal were scouting the German international at the first leg of Leverkusen’s Champions League qualifier with Lazio during the week, but those suggestions are pretty much unfounded.

The midfielder, not to be confused with twin brother Sven Bender of Borussia Dortmund, played as Leverkusen lost 1-0 in Rome and it is Tuttomercatoweb who have said Arsenal had a man at the game to watch Bender.

As Sport Witness points out Arsenal may well have had someone at the game, but how does anyone know they were watching Bender in particular? Plenty of quality players were on show for both sides, and there’s nothing to suggest Arsenal were there for Bender in particular.

If they were, the club is acting with great naivety.

Following the retirement of Simon Rolfes, Bender has been named the new captain of Leverkusen for the 2015/16 season, making any transfer incredibly unlikely to happen. I am pretty sure they didn’t name a captain just a couple of weeks ago only to sell him before the window shuts.

Friday saw Leverkusen confirm that central midfield signing Charles Aránguiz has ruptured ligaments in his Achilles, meaning they are incredibly thin in that position. If there was any chance of them selling Bender before the injury (there wasn’t) that has no gone.

Don’t worry, though, I’m sure we’ll be linked with him yet again in January.