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Agent insists Birmingham reject Benitez good enough for Arsenal

Santos Laguna striker Christian Benitez is wanted back in England.

Benitez has returned to South America after Birmingham City declined to pay a pre-arranged £6.5million to make the move permanent.

But both West Ham United and Sunderland are interested in acquiring Benitez on another loan this season.

And Barry McIntosh, who also helped take Argentine Mauro Zarate to City in 2008, insists the striker would be a decent signing for any Premier League club.

McIntosh told the Mirror: "I take great pleasure and satisfaction in being able once again to introduce a player of the calibre of Christian Benitez to the English Premier League.

"I feel any Premier League club including Arsenal, should have no qualms in going for Benitez.

"Christian has brought to the table other attributes other than goal-scoring.

"I have watched Birmingham a lot and I was significant in bringing Zarate to St Andrews.

"What both players had was the ability to buy time on the field for Birmingham City.

"When they came on the pitch you could see the fright in the opposition.

"What both players bring to the table is not necessarily goals but their unpredictability which worries opposition teams and defenders play deeper and bring more people back to counteract the threat.

"Birmingham's dip in form in March coincided with Benitez's omission from the team and if he had stayed in the team I am pretty sure Birmingham would have qualified for the Europa League at least."

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