Chelsea have entered into talks regarding the potential signing of Folarin Balogun, the dynamic striker from Arsenal.
- Chelsea started talks with Arsenal on Friday for the transfer of £50m-rated striker Folarin Balogun.
- Balogun, after his notable performance on loan at Reims, has attracted attention from Monaco and Fulham.
- Chelsea also aim to secure New England Revolution’s Djordje Petrovic with a £15m bid.
Chelsea have reportedly engaged in conversations about securing the services of Arsenal’s prized £50million-rated forward, Folarin Balogun.
The striker, who has also grabbed the attention of Monaco and Fulham, had an outstanding spell during his loan at Reims last season.
Last season saw Balogun, the 22-year-old sensation, netting an impressive 22 goals. Such performance metrics have paved the way for a potential permanent move away from the Emirates.
The Gunners subsequently placed a considerable valuation on the USA international, especially after witnessing his exceptional prowess during his time with Stade Reims in France.
Fulham have displayed interest in Balogun, seeing him as a potential replacement for Aleksandar Mitrovic who’s likely heading to Al-Hilal. Yet, their budget seems to be capped at £35m for the young striker.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have not limited their shopping list to just Balogun. They’ve tabled a £15m offer for the New England Revolution’s Serbian goalkeeper, Djordje Petrovic.
In the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season, Balogun’s remarkable tally of 21 goals in 37 appearances places him amongst elite company. Only football giants like PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette, and Lille’s Jonathan David outscored him.
June saw the 22-year-old making his international debut for the USA, having previously played for England at youth levels.
His rising profile hasn’t gone unnoticed, with clubs such as Monaco, Inter Milan, and even Tottenham showing interest earlier this summer.
Maybe one day we will find out why he wasn’t as wanted at Arsenal as he is elsewhere.
(Side-note – there is a rumour doing the rounds that Tottenham also asked about Balogun. While everybody else is being told to pay £50m, Tottenham were given a £75m price tag. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I sincerely hope that it is.)