Arsenal star ‘very keen’ on European move with fresh bid ‘expected’ later this week

Ben Stewart
Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun
Arsenal sell Folarin Balogun to AS Monaco.

Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun is said to be ‘very keen’ on a move to Monaco this summer as the Ligue 1 side prepares a fresh bid.

Balogun impressed while on loan with Reims last season and it seems as if the forward is keen on a return to France this summer.

The 22-year-old scored 21 league goals last season in what proved to be his most prolific season to date.

He has already made it clear that he doesn’t want to spend another season out on loan and so a permanent exit seems more than likely.

Arsenal do rate Balogun highly though and up until this point no clubs have been willing to match their £50m asking price.

Along with Monaco, Chelsea also hold an interest in the Arsenal star, but the Ligue 1 outfit are said to be preparing a fresh bid.

According to Matt Spiro, Balogun is ‘very keen’ on a move to Monaco and the French club are ‘expected’ to make a new bid ‘in excess of €40m’ this week.

Fabrizio Romano has backed up these claims as the transfer expert expects a new bid to come from Monaco soon.

“Folarin Balogun could leave, though, and I think he has now been linked with all the top European clubs,” Romano told Caught Offside.

“Some fans have asked me about the stories involving Chelsea and Tottenham, but the reality is that, yes, he’s really appreciated by a number of clubs, but the strongest interest until now has been from AS Monaco, and they remain interested – I expect a new bid for Balogun soon.”

While the Arsenal forward remains a target for Chelsea, Romano isn’t aware of any direct negotiations with Arsenal from their London rivals as of yet.

“Let’s see if English clubs will try too, but at the moment it’s just about being informed rather than any concrete negotiations,” Romano added.

“With Chelsea, the links come because Balogun shares an agent with Romeo Lavia, but I’m not aware of direct contacts between Chelsea and Arsenal, no bids, it’s just normal contacts between agents, not a proper negotiation.”

Balogun’s current deal with Arsenal runs until 2025 and the 22-year-old will be keen to iron out his future as soon as possible.

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