Arsenal insist on £8million for Balogun amid Southampton interest

Arsenal are insisting on a fee of £8million for Southampton target Folarin Balogun whose contract ends next summer

The 19-year-old made a big impression in the Gunners Under-23s side but failed to transition into the first team.

With his contract expiring at the end of the 2020/21 season, the striker has informed the club that he will not
be signing a new deal.

Arsenal are willing to allow him to move on this summer but are hoping for around £8million to part ways with
Balogun, who has represented both England and the United States of America at international youth level.

Balogun has scored 34 goals in 33 appearances in the Under 18s Premier League and added another 12 in 27 Premier League 2 appearances for the Gunners.

Southampton are among a number of clubs keen on signing the striker, with Brentford and Stuttgart also hoping to make a move for Balogun.

Balogun would face strong competition from the likes of Che Adams, Michael Obafemi, and Shane Long to partner Danny Ings who posted his personal best return in the Premier League of 22 goals last season, just one behind golden boot winner Jamie Vardy.

Long recently signed a new two-year deal, while Adams has finally made a splash in the first team following his
transfer from Birmingham in 2019.

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Obafemi has recently been linked with a move away from St Mary’s, and missed out on a place in the latest Republic of Ireland squad with new boss Stephen Kenny admitting that he would need more experience in a loan striker role to gain a place in the team.