Arsenal Transfers: Is Folarin Balogun close to leaving the club?

One of the most intriguing sub-plots of Arsenal’s summer regarded the future of Folarin Balogun, but the striker’s future remains murky with just two weeks of the summer transfer window remaining.

Young Balogun was set to be given a chance to impress Mikel Arteta in pre-season after starring on loan at Reims last season. However, the recent USMNT commit hardly featured during Arsenal’s summer fixtures, with Eddie Nketiah’s recent rise all but cementing his place over Balogun in the depth chart.

It’s understood that Balogun was nursing an injury out in the States which limited his game time, although it became pretty clear early on this summer that Arteta was always going to stick with Nketiah and move Balogun on.

A whole host of clubs have reportedly been interested in signing the striker, but a move is yet to come to pass. So, how close is Balogun to leaving the club now?

Is Folarin Balogun close to leaving the club?

A major sticking point when negotiating with potential suitors has been Arsenal’s asking price. Given Balogun’s prolific season in Ligue 1 last time out and his youth, the Gunners have reportedly been demanding a fee close to £50m for his services. Although, it’s understood that the club have reduced that valuation down to £45m.

As a result, several clubs have been unable to finance a deal. RB Leipzig sought an alternative in Lois Openda, while Inter and Monaco have both seemingly been priced out of a move.

It has long appeared likely that Balogun would move overseas, but Arsenal’s demands suggest they might only be able to strike a deal with a Premier League club given the current riches in the division.

The Daily Mail write that Fulham are considering an approach for the 22-year-old as it looks likely that star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic will depart for the Saudi Pro League. The Cottagers have already signed Raul Jimenez this summer, but that won’t be enough to make up for the Serb’s exit.

For now, Balogun isn’t close to leaving the club with Arsenal sticking to their lofty valuation. However, the Gunners aren’t going to have three potential first-choice strikers on their books for 2023/24, and it’s likely they’ll sell Balogun for a cheaper fee than they’re currently demanding closer to the end of the window.