Report shares Fulham stance on Arsenal wanting £50m for Folarin Balogun

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Fulham are unlikely to be prepared to pay £50 million for Folarin Balogun as they consider the Arsenal striker as a potential replacement for Aleksandar Mitrovic.

That is according to a report from the Evening Standard, which notes that the Gunners want £50 million for the USMNT international this summer.

Folarin Balogun may well be one player who is on the move in the final couple of weeks in the transfer window. The Evening Standard reports that the 22-year-old wants to leave in search of first-team football.

Fulham unlikely to pay £50m for Balogun

He was ‘incredible‘ during a loan spell with Reims last season. But so far, no-one has been prepared to meet the Gunners’ demands for his signature.

But Fulham could soon make a move of their own for the youngster. The Cottagers are currently considering a £46 million bid from Saudi side Al-Hilal for Aleksandar Mitrovic.

And if the Serbia international does get the chance to move to the Kingdom, Marco Silva is interested in signing Balogun as a replacement.

However, the report claims that Fulham will likely want a discount on Arsenal’s asking price for the striker.

Much may depend on what kind of role Mikel Arteta sees Balogun having if he stays. If the Arsenal boss believes that he has three or four options ahead of him, it makes little sense to keep him.

Meanwhile, the Gunners have spent a lot of money in the last couple of years. So they will probably want to bring in some funds. And Balogun is one of the available players who could command a substantial fee.

So it may be that it proves to be best for all parties for a compromise to be reached. Perhaps Arsenal should lower the price in the hope of including a buy-back clause.

That will protect them if Balogun goes on to become the striker many clearly think he could be.