Balogun drops cryptic hint over next move after brutal Arteta snub
Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun has sent Inter Milan fans into a frenzy on social media amid transfer links to the Italian giants.
Balogun, 22, is coming off the back of a breakthrough campaign after plundering 21 league goals for Ligue 1 outfit Reims last season, but the Hale End academy graduate is expected to be offloaded by the Gunners this summer.
The United States international is eager to continue playing regular football and is pushing to be sold if Mikel Arteta will not play him. And already a host of top clubs, including both Inter and AC Milan, have been linked with a £45million transfer.
That speculation has been fuelled further after Balogun shared a clip on his Instagram story showing him watching a goal reel of former Inter striker Ronaldo. The striker's cryptic post has convinced some fans on social media that Inter would be Balogun's preferred destination ahead of next month's transfer deadline.
The Express have outlined that Inter are poised to rekindle their interest in Balogun are missing out on a deal for West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca. He instead looks set to join Atalanta, who have cash to spend after selling Rasmus Hojlund to Manchester United.
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After being priced out of a move for Scamacca, Inter are hopeful that Arsenal will lower their demands for Balogun to around £30m: a sum they feel is fair for a player who actively wants to move. The Gunners are looking to raise funds through player sales but it remains to be seen if they would accept such a figure for the sought-after striker.
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Folarin Balogun sent Inter fans into a frenzy after watching clips of their former striker, Ronaldo (Folarin Balogun Instagram: @balogun)
Balogun is expected to leave Arsenal before next month's transfer deadline (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty)With Arsenal looking to charge a premium price for Balogun, the club have adopted a clear stance that he will be sold in the transfer window. The striker was even made to train alone last month by Arteta with an individual coach during the club's pre-season tour of the United States.
It would suit all parties if an acceptable offer is tabled for his services in the coming weeks after Balogun defiantly insisted that he "definitely" wouldn't be going out on loan again this year.
Although Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are above Balogun in the Arsenal pecking order, there was some speculation that the Gunners stance over a sale could change after Jesus was sidelined with a fresh knee injury earlier this week.
But Arteta quickly scotched such talk by making it clear that the plan was still to move Balogun on before September 1.
Speaking in the wake of Jesus' setback, the Spaniard snubbed the prospect of Balogun being drafted in, saying: "The plan with Flo doesn't change at all, but unfortunately, with Gabby, we are not going to have him. We have other options to play with different qualities of players, so we will adapt."
With that in mind, Balogun is thought to be unlikely to feature in Arsenal's Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest next weekend, where one Nketiah, Leandro Trossard or Kai Havertz are expected to deputise for Jesus.
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