ARSENE WENGER is ready to go head to head with Sir Alex Ferguson for the signaure of Karim Benzema in the knowledge that the 21-year-old France striker would rather join Arsenal this summer than Manchester United.

While Ferguson, the United manager, has already offered Lyons £25.5m, the French club believe they can do better. Keen to ensure his position in France’s 2010 World Cup team, Benzema was initially reluctant to leave this summer, but with Lyons keen to sell, he wants a club where he will be guaranteed first-team football. Though outgunned financially, Arsenal boss Wenger has an edge in that respect over United and Real Madrid.

Arsenal have also been made aware of Benzema’s desire to work with Wenger. A club record offer depends on the sale of Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor. Arsenal were ready to sell to AC Milan last year and remain keen to offload.

Arsenal are in a hurry as Wenger wants his reinforced squad in place for the start of pre-season training on July 6. In addition to a striker, he seeks a holding midfielder to play alongside Cesc Fabregas to help quell his captain’s concerns about Arsenal’s competitiveness.

Talks are ongoing with Fiorentina over Felipe Melo. The Italians want £21m for the 26-year-old Brazil player. Arsenal are some distance from meeting that valuation, but have offered Philippe Senderos in part-exchange. Melo has also attracted interest from Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, who see him as a potential replacement for Javier Mascherano or Xabi Alonso.

Chelsea, in contrast, have been slow to conduct transfer business ahead of Carlo Ancelotti’s installation as manager on Wednesday. Internazionale have been frustrated in their attempts to conclude the joint purchase of Ricardo Carvalho and Deco, complaining that conversations with Peter Kenyon have been handicapped by doubts over the chief executive’s future. “We are talking with Peter,” said a source, “but nobody knows if he stays or leaves. It depends on [Roman] Abramovich.” Chelsea say Kenyon, sporting director Frank Arnesen and performance director Mike Forde are all involved in recruitment and that it would be wrong to conclude that the chief executive has been marginalised. Inter have offered to include Argentina defender Nicolas Burdisso in the Carvalho-Deco deal but are still short of Chelsea’s valuation of the pair. Jose Mourinho, the Inter coach, is also prepared to consider an alternative exchange that would see striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic sold to Chelsea for cash plus the two Portugal internationals. Inter value Ibrahimovic at around £52m.