Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has given the go-ahead for the club to sell Karim Benzema in January, according to reports in Spain.
The 29-year-old has been at the Bernabeu since 2009 after joining from Lyon for £35 million, but a desperately poor start to the season has seen boss Zinedine Zidane run out of patience and he will look to move Benzema on as part of a major squad overhaul.
He only signed a new long-term deal in the summer but has only managed two goals in 13 appearances in the current campaign, leading to his own fans turning on him.
The decision to sell fellow forward Alvaro Morata to Chelsea now looks very questionable, with the Spain international already netting nine goals for his new club in a superb start to his Premier League career.
It is now likely the Frenchman will be sold either in January or at the end of the season with Los Blancos set to bring in fresh blood up front.
There are few things more certain in football than Arsenal being linked with Benzema in a transfer window, and boss Arsene Wenger is once again said to be keen to bring his countryman to the Emirates.
Wenger has long been an admirer of Benzema, and could make a bid for him if Alexis Sanchez leaves with the Chilean still expected to run down his contract or make a cut price move when the window reopens in six weeks.
He could form an all-French partnership with record signing Alexandre Lacazette, who has hit the ground running since his move from Lyon in the summer.