Thursday, May 2, 2024

Reports: West Ham enter race for Arsenal man, as Gunners hope for massive £43m sale

Interest is ramping up in an Arsenal player that will see the Gunners make a significant sale this month.

The latest in the race for Folarin Balogun comes in the form of a bid from AS Monaco, an offer Arsenal have turned down according to The Athletic.

It’s noteworthy that Balogun is the subject of interest from multiple quarters. Alongside AS Monaco, Lens, West Ham, and Inter Milan are all engaged in efforts to reach a preliminary understanding with the Arsenal forward. This should help Arsenal get close to their demands, which GFFN say is around £43million, plus bonuses – with talk of a sell on clause and/or a buy-back option.

However, it has been widely reported that the player has expressed a preference for transferring to Inter Milan during the upcoming summer window. Inter themselves have already had a bid rejected, and it remains to be seen whether or not they’d be willing to get close to Arsenal’s demands.

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As per GFFN’s report, negotiations between AS Monaco and Arsenal persist, demonstrating a determination to find a solution. AS Monaco is actively striving to find a mutually satisfactory arrangement with Balogun himself and changing his mind about wanting Inter only. Monaco’s interest will only have grown with the news their forward Breel Embolo will miss the season through injury.

West Ham’s interest will excite Edu Gaspar, as he looks to ramp the price up for the in-demand Balogun. West Ham, like most English clubs, will have more money at their disposal compared to clubs across the continent – especially considering Arsenal handed them £100million for Declan Rice earlier this summer.

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