Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun appears to be edging closer to an exit this summer, and a new bid is about to arrive for him.
That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed that French side AS Monaco, who previously saw an offer turned down, are the frontrunners for his signature, and they will make another bid soon.
The 22-year-old was excellent in Ligue 1 last season on loan at Stade De Reims, scoring 24 goals in all competitions, but will leave Arsenal in search of game time.
Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano has now claimed that Monaco’s interest is the strongest, ahead of a number of other clubs.
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“I think he has now been linked with all the top European clubs. Some fans have asked me about the stories involving Chelsea and Tottenham, but the reality is that, yes, he’s really appreciated by a number of clubs, but the strongest interest until now has been from AS Monaco, and they remain interested – I expect new bid for Balogun soon,” he claimed.
Why Balogun should leave
Balogun needs to be playing regularly at this stage in his career, and given his increased reputation following his loan, interest in him may never be higher than it is now.
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Right now, he is Arsenal’s fifth-choice centre-forward at best, with Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz ahead of him in the pecking order.
Given that he has stated his unwillingness to go out on loan again, the best option for him is to leave permanently and find a club where he can settle and build some consistency.
With Monaco losing striker Breel Embolo to injury, Balogun could be the perfect addition to the French side, who finished sixth last season.
Mikel Arteta has described Balogun as “special,” and whilst it appears that the club do rate him highly, they are perhaps sensing that with two years left on his deal, his value may never be higher than it is right now, and given the heavy interest in him, this will be the perfect opportunity to cash in.