PHOTO: Karim Benzema Instagram post fuels speculation of transfer to Arsenal

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has posted a photo and cryptic message on his Instagram page that will do nothing to quell rumours of a potential Arsenal transfer.

The message, which translates to "Let the past remain the past" with the hashtag #directionturfu (#lookingtothefuture), is a curious choice of words for the 27-year-old Lyon, France, native - especially considering the rest of the Real Madrid squad flew without Benzema to China a day ago for the second-leg of its preseason schedule.

Despite Benzema being Arsenal's most-discussed transfer target this summer, there have been contradictory quotes coming out of North London.

"We get a list of the players that Wenger wants," club director Lord Harris was quoted as saying. "On the list is a center-forward, but I'm not going to tell you who he is. You've got to get the other team to want to sell him, but I think he wants to come. It basically comes down to whether the other team can find a superstar to replace him, because they don't have to sell."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was coy about the director's quotes, saying during a press conference "We are in a situation - I explained many times - where we are working hard if an opportunity comes up to do something, but we are not in the need."

Wenger added, "We are open-minded but we are not desperate."

Arsenal's first competitive tilt of the season is Sunday's Community Shield against Chelsea, where another Frenchman, Olivier Giroud, is expected to start up top on the back of a contract extension that will see him at The Emirates until 2018.