Arsenal slap HUGE asking price on Folarin Balogun

Cameron Smith

• 10 Jan 2023 15:31 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal are reportedly demanding a fee of €40 million (£35m) for young forward Folarin Balogun, with interest emerging for his signature from across Europe.

Balogun, 21, has made just two Premier League appearances for Arsenal's first-team, but has netted 10 goals and provided two assists in the top flight of French football this season on loan at Stade Reims.

That form has led to increased transfer talk surrounding Balogun, whose contract at the Emirates Stadium doesn't expire until 2025.

READ: How Arsenal will line up with Mudryk

Gabriel Jesus' recent injury, which he suffered on Brazil duty at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, led to rumours that Balogun could be recalled from his loan stint in France, but it's understood that talks over terminating Balogun's loan haven't taken place. Instead, Eddie Nketiah has taken on the role of Arsenal's starting striker and has scored four goals in four games since the resumption of the campaign following the World Cup break, including a brace in the Gunners' 3-0 win over Oxford United in the FA Cup.

Furthermore, Arsenal may even have to convince Balogun to stay at the club, with Pianetemilan.it reporting that both AC Milan and Inter Milan are interested in signing the England U-21 international.

The report details that Arsenal will demand €40m for Balogun if they are to allow the young forward to leave the club permanently. Balogun, who has two Europa League goals for the Gunners under his belt, spent the second-half of last season on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough, where he scored three and assisted three in 18 league appearances.

READ: Arsenal line up SHOCK move for Hazard if Mudryk bid fails

Balogun to San Siro?

Milan and Inter are both chasing Balogun in their efforts to sign a new central striker. The former will eventually need to replace the veteran Olivier Giroud, who remains their first-choice striker at 36 years old.

On the blue side of the city, Romelu Lukaku will return to Chelsea once his loan deal at Inter expires in the summer, while Edin Dzeko, like Giroud, is approaching the twilight of his career and a reinforcement will be needed shortly for Simone Inzaghi's men.

Therefore, interest in Balogun isn't surprising, especially considering he is currently the joint-third highest goal-scorer in Ligue 1, behind only Paris Saint-Germain pair Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

However, Arsenal are attempting to dissuade interest by slapping a huge asking price on a player with just one Premier League start to his name.