Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun is the player that Inter Milan want to bolster their forward line this summer, but his €40m asking price is a problem.
That’s according to Tuttosport and Sky Sports Italy, who both cover the Nerazzurri’s interest in the striker today.
Balogun has returned to Arsenal from a successful loan spell with Stade Reims last season during which he scored 22 goals and registered three assists in 39 games in all competitions.
It was very much a breakthrough season for him, and it now remains to be seen what happens at Arsenal as a result, with it unlikely he will be a starter ahead of Gabriel Jesus and the Gunners’ other forward options.
The belief is that he will be moved on, particularly with Arsenal needing funds to balance the books after a summer of big transfer deals so far.
That’s where Inter come into it. They need to find a new striker this summer after turning away from a deal for Romelu Lukaku, who they’ve turned their back on after he spoke to Juventus and AC Milan.
Tuttosport say Balogun is the man they are eyeing and the option that ‘arouses the imagination’ the most at the club. That’s even despite manager Simone Inzaghi calling for a more experienced player to be signed such as Alvaro Morata.
Balogun is the ‘profile’ that those in charge are eyeing up, but he is ‘expensive’, to say the least, because Arsenal have put a €40m asking price on his head.
Thus, Inter are looking at alternatives, such as Morata, Udinese striker Beto and Gianluca Scamacca at West Ham.
Sky back all of this up, stating that Balogun is ‘at the head of Inter’s options’ to reinforce and complete their forward line.
Before turning to other options, the Italian side ‘will do everything’ to sign the Arsenal striker according to their information.
They make no mention of that €40m demand or Inter’s willingness to pay it, although it should be noted that President Steven Zhang had sanctioned a similar priced deal for Lukaku according to reports elsewhere.
Whether he will do the same for Balogun remains to be seen but the interest is there nonetheless, with the belief in Italy that the Arsenal man is at the top of Inter’s wish list.
