Chelsea have reportedly opened talks with Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun regarding a potential transfer for the player, according to Football Transfers.
Should any club wish to snap up the services of Balogun, they will need to pay Arsenaal no less than £50 million – given Chelsea’s vast financial resources, however, this could be a mere drop in the ocean.
With players such as Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz joining Arsenal in the summer transfer window, they will need to offload some players to balance the books. As such, the sale of Balogun could be a good way to recoup their losses – even if it is to a bitter rival.
Who else is interested in a move for Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun?
If Chelsea wish to bring Balogun to Stamford Bridge, they will face competition from other high-profile clubs from across Europe – many of whom will be taking part in the 2023/24 Champions League tournament, which could put the Blues at a distinct disadvantage.
Over the course of the last few months, he has been linked with moves to Marseille, AS Monaco, RB Leipzig, AC Milan and Champions League runners-up Inter Milan.
Folarin Balogun career summary so far
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 2001, Balogun’s parents emigrated to England when he was just two years of age. Following this, he joined the Arsenal youth academy in 2008 after a brief stint with Aldersbrook.
He signed his first professional deal with the Gunners in 2020 – since then, however, he has made just two senior appearances for the club, with no goals to his name.
He was loaned out to Middlesbrough in January 2020 – during his time at the Riverside Stadium, he would find the back of the net on three occasions over the course of 18 games.
Last season was a breakout campaign for Balogun while on loan at Reims. In total, he scored 21 goals in 37 appearances for Will Still’s team, registering three assists along the way.
In 2023, he chose to play for the USA at international level, despite featuring predominantly for England at youth level. So far, he has won two caps for the Stars and Stripes, scoring a single goal.
