Bayer Leverkusen have turned down a €23m (£19.7m) offer from Arsenal for midfielder Lars Bender, according to reports in Germany.
Newspaper Express claims that Arsenal have placed an offer for Bender but have been told by the Bundesliga outfit that the 24-year-old is not for sale.
Bayer are reluctant to sell following André Schürrle's departure to Chelsea earlier this month and right-back Dani Carvajal's recent return to Real Madrid.
Bender signed from 1860 Munich in 2009 and is contracted the Bundesliga side until 2017. His twin brother Sven played a key part for Borussia Dortmund as they reached the Champions League final before losing to Bayern Munich at Wembley.
Bender is part of a growing list of central midfielders who have been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer. Everton’s Marouane Fellaini and Celtic’s Victor Wanyama are reportedly targets for the Gunners.
The Gunners are prepared to pay a record-breaking fee to sign Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain and make him the club’s best paid player to ensure they capture the marquee signing Arsene Wenger wants this summer. Arsenal's previous record transfer fee was the £15m paid to Zenit St Petersburg for Andrey Arshavin in 2009.
Arsenal’s board have given Wenger £70m to strengthen the squad this summer. Chief executive Ivan Gazidis claims the club is set to join the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich and become one of Europe's financial superpowers.
据德国媒体报道，勒沃库森已经拒绝了一笔阿森纳对其中场球员Lars Bender 2300万欧元报价。新闻快线报道阿森纳的报价已被勒沃库森拒绝，并被告知Berder是非卖品。勒沃库森这个月已经出走两员大将，André Schürrle被卖到切尔西，右后卫Dani Carvajal 回归皇马。Bender 于2009年从慕尼黑1860加入球队，并与球队合同签到2017年。他的孪生兄弟Sven 在多特蒙德与拜仁的欧冠决赛中扮演重要角色，虽然多特蒙德在温布利并没有取得胜利。这个夏天，Bender已经是阿森纳谋求转会的中场球员之一，另外还有埃弗顿的费莱尼和凯尔特人的万亚玛。枪手已经做好签下伊瓜因的准备，一旦签约成功将是球队史上破纪录的转会，并是球队最受欢迎的高薪球员，这也是温格所期待的球员。阿森纳以往的转会纪录是2009年1500万英镑从泽尼特签下阿尔沙文。阿森纳董事会这个夏天已经给予温格7000万英镑的资金来加强球队。球队的执行官表示阿森纳已经准备好加入像曼联、皇马、拜仁等一线顶级球队集团，并成为全欧洲资金雄厚的球队之一。
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/arsenal-transfer-news-bayer-leverkusens-reject-20m-bid-for-lars-bender-8682066.html 
