The Spanish media are still insisting Arsenal want to sign Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, despite the Frenchman having signed a new deal with the club last week.

If you thought a new deal lasting until 2021 would stop the media in England and Spain from linking Arsenal to Benzema over and over again then you were wrong.

The latest line from Spanish outlet Don Balon, repeated in England through the Daily Star, is that Benzema’s new deal was only agreed to raise the fee that Madrid can get for the striker.

Of course, we have seen instances of this happening in the past, for example with Luis Suarez. Suarez asked to leave Liverpool, then signed a new deal with a clause that Barcelona triggered the next summer to bring him to Spain.

Liverpool got more money, Suarez got his move, Barcelona got their new striker and everyone was happy except Arsenal, who had already triggered his old clause the previous year.

The difference in this case is that Benzema has never even hinted he wants to leave Real Madrid for Arsenal, from what I’ve seen. As soon as I saw the Benzema contract news I knew we’d get articles about Madrid trying to get more money or adding in a release clause, not because it’s true, but because it’s easy.

I’ll believe Arsenal are willing to pay an even higher fee than before on a 29-year-old forward who plays in the same position as new signing Alexandre Lacazette and recent contract extender Olivier Giroud when I see it happen.