Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun continues to be the subject of intense interest heading into the final weeks of this transfer window, with news emerging on Monaco's pursuit.
Who will leave Arsenal?
The Gunners and manager Mikel Arteta have sealed a quartet of deals so far this summer, completing the signings of Kai Havertz, defender Jurrien Timber, goalkeeper David Raya and, of course, club-record acquisition Declan Rice.
Arsenal have also been linked with more, including the likes of Dinamo Zagreb defender Josip Sutalo and Barcelona forward Ansu Fati, but it is believed they'll need to balance the books first.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Auston Trusty, Pablo Mari, Matt Turner and long-serving midfielder Granit Xhaka have all officially departed north London so far. Meanwhile, exit links continue to surround the likes of Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nicolas Pepe.
The former has been heavily mentioned as a target for league newcomers Burnley, while the latter is thought to be a wanted man in Turkey with Besiktas.
Perhaps the most regularly mentioned name, though, is Balogun – who is being chased by a plethora of sides including AC Milan, Inter Milan, Monaco and West Ham.
The USA international, who enjoyed a fine campaign on loan at Reims over 2022/2023, could well depart before September 1 as he seeks more game time.
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French news outlet RMC Sport, sharing the latest on Balogun's future, has an interesting update on the 22-year-old and where he could end up next.
This report concerns Monaco, who have just signed midfielder Denis Zakaria for around £17.2 million. Indeed, now that they have closed that deal, it is believed they will now "rush" to sign Arsenal's forward.
The Ligue 1 side are displaying real ambition this summer and it is claimed they are set to move for Balogun after completing Zakaria's signing.
Nothing else is said on the matter or how much they're planning to bid, but it appears Monaco's intent is still certainly there.
How good is Folarin Balogun?
Scorer of 21 goals in the French first division last campaign, Balogun's stock has seriously risen since last summer, with many clubs taking note of his exploits.
The race for his services appears to be intensifying and Arsenal stand to benefit if an auction is triggered for the attacker.
After spending north of £200 million, Arteta's side will certainly be hoping that is the case, with the Gunners boss' recent comments on Balogun suggesting he is worth a sizeable fee.
"I’m so happy for him,” Arteta said on Balogun's form last season.
“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career. He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave.
“We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and the other choices he had. He was so convinced. I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.
“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special, that’s why we decided to give him a long-term contract and have faith in him and give him the long period that he needs now, because the loan he is having now is really different to the one he had before at Middlesbrough."
