Arsene Wenger may have said yesterday that he won’t panic buy before the transfer window closes on Monday but it has been reported he will spend the whole of the club’s £70m transfer budget on the Real Madrid trio of Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria.

Benzema, Ozil and Di Maria have all been offered as Madrid look to recoup some of the £86m they will spend on Tottenham forward Gareth Bale, and Arsenal are reported to have opened talks.

Wenger’s need to strengthen his squad become more apparent on Thursday, after the club drew Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, and Napoli in the Champions League group stage.

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Arsenal have made only two signings so far this summer and both have been free transfers. Yaya Sanogo, a France U21 International, signed from Ligue 1 club Auxerre and ex-Gunner Mathieu Flamini re-signed after being released by Milan.

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