Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun has been linked with another club amid his impending exit – this time, Chelsea have shown an interest in the 22-year-old USMNT international [via the Evening Standard].
Monaco have recently submitted a bid for Balogun in the region of £34 million, but this was rejected by the Gunners. As such, it can be assumed that they are looking for a higher fee than this.
They aren’t the only team in the Premier League who have been linked with Balogun – following the departure of Alexsandr Mitrovic, Fulham are also in contention to sign the American.
What did Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino have to say regarding their transfer policy?
In his pursuit of a new striker, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino said: “It is a difficult situation because we have two strikers in Nkunku and Broja but they are injured.
“It is not easy at this moment to find the right profile. We are in the process of working to see if we can add some players in this area.
“But it is a job that is not easy for the club. For sure, they are working really hard to add some players. If it is not possible, we need to wait until Nkunku and Broja will be ready and we have the help of Mason [Burstow].”
Is Folarin Balogun a better option in the striker role than Eddie Nketiah for Arsenal?
It is difficult to say who is the better option out of Balogun and Eddie Nketiah, as they both bring different sets of attributes to the table.
Balogun is arguably the better goalscorer of the two, on account of his 22 goals scored in 39 appearances for Reims in Ligue 1 last season. Nketiah, conversely, only scored four goals in 30 appearances across all competitions last season.
For what Nketiah lacks in goal scoring prowess, he makes up for it with his intelligent runs, excellent link play and powerful physical presence in the box.
Ultimately, Nketiah does not need to be a high-scoring forward, as most of Arsenal’s goals are generally scored by their wingers and midfield players.
As such, his physicality and hold up play are ideal for how Mikel Arteta wants to play, as he creates space for his fellow attacking players and is unselfish when moving forward with the ball.
