Arsenal's failure to sign Benzema or Cavani understandable - Thierry Henry

ESPN FC's Stewart Robson talks about Arsenal's centre forward problem and the fact that Walcott is should not play up front.

Former Arsenal star Thierry Henry has defended Arsene Wenger's failure to sign Karim Benzema or Edinson Cavani this summer.
Arsenal signed goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea on June 29 but the club made no further signings and, according to the Daily Mirror, are the only club in the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or Serie A not to sign an outfield player.

They were linked with Real Madrid star Benzema throughout the summer, and Henry, who played for Arsenal between 1999 and 2007 and later returned on loan, said last month that signing his fellow Frenchman would make the Gunners favourites for the title.

However, Benzema eventually dismissed suggestions he could leave the Bernabeu and Henry accepts that his compatriot had little cause to leave.Karim Benzema was linked with a move to Arsenal throughout the summer.

"I do not know if the boss wanted Benzema or not, but the player must also want to come," he said in his role as a Sky Sports pundit.

"What are you going to offer to the guy who is playing for one of the best teams in the world, knowing that he is playing there week in, week out, and performing well?

"So I do not think that Arsene did not want to bring any other players -- that would have been another story if he had really said: 'I do not want to bring in any other players.' But he said that if it can be done, then I will try to bring someone."

Arsenal were also linked with a late move for PSG's Cavani, but Henry added: "How do you get Benzema from Real Madrid when he plays there and Cavani also from Paris Saint-Germain -- he scored again at the weekend. It is a difficult one.

"I do not think he did not want to bring in anyone. He wanted to bring players as we know, but it did not happen."
Henry acknowledged that Arsenal will find it difficult to challenge Premier League leaders Manchester City this season, though.

"Right now they are already five points behind City, still have not won at home, won two games by an own goal, which is actually their best goal scorer at the moment," he said.

"Ideally it does not look right now like they are going to win the league like this, but I think Arsene believes he can win the league with that team and that team is good enough, and that is his prerogative.

"I think he should have tried to bring players and I think he did try. It could not happen, but I still think that team needed some players."

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown was more critical of the club's efforts in the transfer window, telling BBC Sport it was a "missed opportunity."

Wenger suggested last month that he had made efforts to sign Benzema but had not been able to persuade Madrid to sell.

Wenger told reporters: "That story [is dead] but it has always been created every week, again and again. We do not master that situation.

"When the player has a contract it's the club who owns the contract who decides that and I have said that many times. We want to master the situation of the players who are under contract with us."