Folarin Balogun has been linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer, with Fulham and Chelsea keen on signing him.
Folarin Balogun needs to play regular first-team football to continue his development, and Arsenal will not be able to provide him with the platform. A report from Daily Mail claims that Fulham are keen on signing the 22-year-old, and they have now intensified efforts to sign him. The Cottagers are ready to pay £35 million to secure his services.
The young striker has been linked with Premier League rivals Chelsea as well. The Blues need to bring in attacking reinforcements this summer, and Balogun could prove to be a quality long-term acquisition for them. The USMNT international is reportedly valued at £50 million by Arsenal this summer.
The 22-year-old striker was on loan at Reims last season, and he scored 22 goals across all competitions. There is no doubt that he is good enough to play for top Premier League clubs. So it will be interesting to see where he ends up. The opportunity to join Chelsea will certainly be an attractive proposition for the young striker, and he has reportedly agreed terms with them.
Chelsea struggled to score goals consistently last season, and they decided to bring in Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku to improve in the final third. However, Nkunku has been ruled out for several months with an injury, and Mauricio Pochettino needs to add more depth to the side.
Chelsea share a strong and positive relationship with Folarin Balogun agents as previously reported.
The Strikers reps also represent Romeo Lavia. #CFC #AFC pic.twitter.com/cweMyBKwI0
— Fraser Fletcher (@FrazFletcher) August 22, 2023
Balogun will certainly add goals to the Chelsea attack. But it remains to be seen whether Arsenal are prepared to sanction his departure to a direct rival. Chelsea have a talented squad and will look to make amends for last season. The Blues had a disappointing 2022/23 campaign, finishing 12th in the league table.
They will be looking to bounce back strongly and compete for major trophies this year. Pochettino needs to plug the gaps in his squad in order to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City this season. Signing a quality attacker would certainly give them an edge over their rivals.
Meanwhile, Fulham will need to bring in a quality striker as well. Aleksandar Mitrovic has secured a move to Saudi Arabia, and the Serb was their main goal scorer last season. The Wests London club will have to replace him adequately if they want to do well in the Premier League this season.
The report claims that Fulham hope to seal an agreement for around £35 million instead of £50 million that Arsenal want. Balogun would be a solid, long-term investment for them. He is likely to get ample game time at Fulham and the move would be beneficial to his development.
