Arsenal are reportedly planning to sell Folarin Balogun this summer in order to raise funds for more summer signings. Despite his impressive form on loan at Reims, the 21-year-old is said to be unwilling to return to the Emirates if he is only going to be the third-choice forward behind Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah. With just two years left on his contract, Arsenal are conscious that his price tag is unlikely to get any higher than it will be this summer, and are expected to demand a fee in excess of £30million. A number of Premier League sides are thought to be keeping tabs on the situation, while Serie A giants AC Milan have also been linked with a summer swoop.
The Gunners are expected to offload a number of players this summer as they look to raise funds for more summer signings. The north Londoners are thought to owe around £180m on past transfers, which will continue to be paid off over the coming windows, while their £50m January outlay has also dented their summer budget. That means Arsenal will need to sell players in order to raise funds and they have already identified a number of fringe players who could be offloaded. Besides Balogun, the player Arsenal are most hopeful about getting a sizeable fee for is Kieran Tierney – who is wanted by Newcastle after losing his place to Oleksandr Zinchenko – while Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and even Emile Smith Rowe could also be sold.
The situation has led to some big question marks over the budget available to Mikel Arteta. The Arsenal manager is said to be planning to offload a host of players in order to raise transfer funds, but the club’s financial situation means that he may have limited options when it comes to bringing in new talent. The Gunners have struggled in recent seasons and are desperate to strengthen their squad this summer in order to compete for a top-four finish next season. However, with other clubs also looking to strengthen, it remains to be seen whether Arsenal will be able to attract the players they need.
Despite the challenges facing Arsenal, there are reasons for optimism. The club has a number of talented young players coming through the ranks, including Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, who have both impressed this season. In addition, Arteta has shown that he is capable of getting the best out of his players, as demonstrated by the recent upturn in form of Nicolas Pepe. If Arsenal can continue to develop their young talent and make shrewd signings in the transfer market, there is no reason why they cannot challenge for honours in the coming seasons.
In conclusion, Arsenal are facing a challenging summer as they look to raise funds for more summer signings. The sale of Folarin Balogun is likely to be just one of a number of departures from the club, as Mikel Arteta looks to reshape his squad ahead of next season. With other clubs also looking to strengthen, it remains to be seen whether Arsenal will be able to attract the players they need to compete at the highest level. However, with a talented group of young players and a manager who has shown that he is capable of getting the best out of his squad, there are reasons for optimism at the Emirates.