Inter Milan are looking to negotiate a fee with Arsenal for Folarin Balogun, with the Serie A giants not eager to pay over €40 million, including bonuses.
According to Alfredo Pedulla, Inter Milan are negotiating a fee with Arsenal for Folarin Balogun through intermediaries. The Nerazzurri do not want to pay over €40 million, including bonuses and are eager to find a way. But the Gunners are seeking way more.
Folarin Balogun could significantly impact the movements in the strikers’ market. The USMNT international could become a big transfer subject if Arsenal green light a sale away from the club, with the striker attracting massive interest.
A decision will depend on how Mikel Arteta views his attacking setup after their current pre-season tour of the US. Balogun, a USMNT international, has the chance to shine in his homeland and impress the Gunners boss enough to become a big part of his plans for the upcoming season.
Yet, Arteta has not clearly indicated what he wants to do with the striker, although some of his comments during the pre-season showed the manager was open to all possibilities. Arteta said, “He’s done incredibly well. Now we have to think about what is best to do. We want to see him. He will play the next few games, and then we will make the best decision.”
Arsenal are also eager to conduct massive sales and showcase the financial muscle in bringing in money through player exits. As things stand, Balogun does seem like their prized asset in this window, and they might sell him amid interest from Inter Milan.
Inter Milan became the latest side to express their interest in signing Balogun. They are wary of the price tag for the striker going around in the media but only want to pay €40 million, including bonuses. Arsenal are demanding significant money, and they might cite a few examples of how the market behaves.
Inter had originally wanted to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea. Despite making a €40 million offer for the Belgian, they have completely pulled out of the race after the striker held talks with rivals Juventus. Since then, they have switched their attention towards Balogun.
The Serie A giants are eager to pay the money reserved for Lukaku and table the bid for Balogun. They also have other alternatives, including Gianluca Scamacca, Beto and Alvaro Morata. However, the €40 million-rated USMNT star remains a big attraction and may come across as a brilliant investment for the future.
As for Arsenal, they will want to maximise the potential of a sale and demand top dollar for their rising star. The Gunners could also point at Atalanta’s asking rate for Manchester United target Rasmus Hojlund to ask for a high price.
The Gunners are also relaxed about the sale situation, although they would like to bring in funds to sign new players. A new midfielder is on Arteta’s agenda, and Mohammed Kudus is their ideal target in the next phase of this transfer market.