Carlo Ancelotti has told Arsenal he’ll only take over from Arsene Wenger if the club sign Karim Benzema, according a ridiculous report in Spain.

El Gol Digital are the publication making the claim, but they’re far from the only offenders in this regard. It’s usually Don Balon, who constantly report that Arsenal want to sign the striker. Every single window the same stories come out, and every single window it doesn’t happen.

You’d think the rumours might finally go away at this stage. Benzema is now 30 years old, and Arsenal have signed Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Is the Real Madrid man really going to join the club to play back up to Aubameyang? Or will the Gabon international, 29 in the summer, be wasting the prime of his career on the bench?

Clearly these stories get clicks no matter how ridiculous they get, and this one is particularly bad. As if Ancelotti would base the next stage of his footballing career on one signing in a position where the club are already strong.

The two know each other from Madrid, and apparently that’s enough evidence for El Gol Digital. The sooner we all stop paying attention to these stories, the sooner they hopefully go away.