£100m Arsenal fire sale: West Ham United make approach to sign Folarin Balogun
West Ham United have made an approach to Arsenal for striker Folarin Balogun with the Gunners set for a £100million fire sale before the end of the window, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper reported in their print edition (24 August, pg 71) that Mikel Arteta’s side considers the American disposable while the Hammers, Chelsea and Tottenham have enquired regarding the 22-year-old. but would likely sell him to Premier League sides for an inflated price amid interest from Serie A.
Following his 21-goal haul on loan to Ligue 1 side Reims last season, the Mail claims that Monaco are believed to be in the most advanced position to seal his signature.
Unlikely
While Balogun could be a dominant force for the Hammers, this move seems unlikely.
The Daily Mail reported (23 August) that Balogun would command a £50million fee which feels slightly out of West Ham’s price range even considering their hefty transfer kitty this summer.
However, Hammers are in need of a striker this window, with AS reporting (23 August) that a move for Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri could be on the cards once again.
Elsewhere, Fabrizio Romano claimed (23 August) that a £38.5million deal of Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus, who has been tipped to start as a forward for the Hammers, is 90 per cent complete.
Balogun himself looks unlikely to be a Gunner before the window shuts and has attracted plenty of interest across Europe. He is still a young striker developing his game. Once outstanding season in the French league does not translate into a prolific Premier League scorer, so West Ham committing potentially £50million for him is something if a gamble.
Question marks remain over why Arsenal are happy to let him go too, especially with the absence of Gabriel Jesus. Monaco may be the ideal destination for the USMNT star.
Continuing his development in Ligue 1 could be a smart move by Balogun. If he continues to shine like he has, he could be much more ready for a big move after honing his craft by the Mediterranean.
