Arsenal eye another move for Leverkusen midfielder Bender after failed bid last summer

By Sami Mokbel

PUBLISHED: 17:35 EST, 24 March 2014 | UPDATED: 17:40 EST, 24 March 2014

Arsenal are preparing to make another bid for Bayer Leverkusen's Lars Bender after failing to sign the midfielder last summer.

Arsene Wenger and his backroom team have been hugely impressed with the German international for over a year and see him as the ideal physical presence to allow their attacking midfielders to perform.

The Gunners failed with a bid of around £19million for Bender last summer but Wenger is refusing to give up on bringing the talented 24-year-old to the Emirates.

Wanted man: Arsenal are hoping to sign Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender (top) this summer

Wanted man: Arsenal are hoping to sign Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender (top) this summer

Heads up: Bender (right) has impressed Arsenal scouts in Germany for over a year

Heads up: Bender (right) has impressed Arsenal scouts in Germany for over a year

Forward planning: Arsene Wenger is hoping to revamp his squad when the summer transfer window opens

Forward planning: Arsene Wenger is hoping to revamp his squad when the summer transfer window opens

 

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Arsenal have upgraded their scouting network in Germany over the last 18 months, with chief scout Steve Rowley having watched a large number of Bundesliga fixtures last season.

Bender, whose twin brother Sven plays for Borussia Dortmund, has caught the eye and is seen as a long-term replacement for Mikel Arteta.

The former Everton man turns 32 on Wednesday and Wenger is keen on signing a younger midfielder to take his place next season.

Wenger views Bender as a box-to-box player, equally capable of doing the dirty work in midfield and playing Arsenal's trademark style of football.

Arsenal are also keen on Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, 23, but there is a feeling that Bender will be easier to land.

Gunners scouts are also watching Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin, with Wenger known to be a long-term admirer of the Frenchman.

Getting on: Wenger sees Bender as a replacement for Mikel Arteta (right), who turns 32 this week

Getting on: Wenger sees Bender as a replacement for Mikel Arteta (right), who turns 32 this week

Enforcer: Bender (right) tussles with Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery (left) during a Bundesliga clash

Enforcer: Bender (right) tussles with Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery (left) during a Bundesliga clash

Option: Wenger is also keeping tabs on Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin (right)

Option: Wenger is also keeping tabs on Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin (right)

 

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old same stories every time all eyes can see what arsenal team needed what we don't understand is what is hidden that they can not buy quality strikers, dm good defense, when i watch arsenal vs chelsik i thought its better we don't show up and we can not wait for the game to end it's a really awful situation one can find them self in.

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Would be a great signing for Arsenal but can't see them landing him as they are unlikely to meet the asking price.

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Would be a great signing for Arsenal but can't see them landing him as they are unlikely to meet the asking price.

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After the pathetic performance at Chelsea on Saturday, a defensive midfielder along with a forward have to be our priorities in the summer. All of Wenger's great teams played with one or 2 defensive midfielders so I'm baffled we go into some games with Arteta as the only DM

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Previously Arteta played with Song who had presence, box to box energy and good pace to recover. With Song gone good teams just run past Arteta who lacks pace to support the defense. Arsenal lack pace. Good planning should have indicated playing Flamini, being more compact as they were against Liverpool in the FA cup.

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Sometime you just wonder what has happened to wenger, the man who had DM in the calibre of Gilberto Silva, Viera, Petit, and wants to rely on Arteta, Flamini today.Sometime he puts wilshere as a no 6, you just wonder why wenger, why???it's obvious that with the oppositions having players like yaya toure and fernandinho, or matic and ramires, what can arsenal do with arteta or flamini or even wilshere??I always say this, arsenal need someone like khedira, bender, matuidi,etc...a DM that can cover the spaces behind the attacking midfielders and in frnt of the defense, wenger needs to get that once and for all.

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His brother is much better

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Bender is a level above Arteta and would be a good signing. Mikel came in post the Utd disaster and helped steady the ship. Unfortunately his time is up. It is all about going to that extra level and trying to close the gap to the teams above us. In that context a top line striker is not just desirable it is an absolute necessity.

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couldn't agree more. Arteta gave us stability when we needed it. I like him and think he is a good player, but an upgrade is needed.

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We really need someone Arteta lumbers around like a potato, if he wasnt the vice captain he would be a squad player at most. Something has happened to him since last season when he was a rock and never missed a pass barely. Id love to see a comparison of stats between the 2 seasons

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All this condemnation of Arteta who plays the holding role. Passing, running, play making, assists, wasn,t that what Usil was brought for??

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