Chelsea eye Arsenal, USMNT's Balogun in £50m deal

Arsenal will demand £50m to sell Folarin Balogun amid interest from Chelsea, while Fulham is also a possible destination.

The summer transfer window in Europe is now open, and there is no shortage of speculation and rumors surrounding potential moves. In this edition of Transfer Talk, we bring you the latest buzz on player transfers, including rumors, confirmed deals, and potential moves.

According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal is demanding a fee of £50m for forward Folarin Balogun, amid interest from Chelsea. Although Balogun is currently under contract with Arsenal until June 2025, the club is reportedly eager to offload him this summer due to his impressive performances during the 2022/23 season.

Balogun had a successful loan spell in France with Reims last season, scoring an impressive 21 goals in Ligue 1. This performance has attracted interest from clubs across Europe. However, Balogun has struggled to secure a regular place in the Arsenal squad, which has opened the door for a potential exit.

Chelsea is said to be in the market for attacking reinforcements, as they currently have limited options up front. With Romelu Lukaku not in the manager's plans and Christopher Nkunku out with a knee injury, Mauricio Pochettino is left with Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja as the only viable forward options. Balogun could be a potential solution to their attacking woes.

However, it seems that Chelsea is not the only club interested in Balogun. Fulham has also been named as a possible destination for the young forward. With Aleksandar Mitrovic leaving for Al Hilal, Fulham is in desperate need of a new number 9 before the transfer window closes. Marco Silva, the Fulham manager, is keen to add Balogun to his squad.

In other transfer news, West Ham's €42m bid for Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus has been rejected, according to Fabrizio Romano. The club is now considering whether to make a fresh approach. Ajax is standing firm on their valuation of the 23-year-old, leaving West Ham to explore alternative options. Despite the departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal, West Ham is financially stable and may return with an improved offer.

There have also been rumors linking Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah with a move to Al Ittihad. However, according to Rudy Galetti, a deal is unlikely to happen. Liverpool is reluctant to lose the 31-year-old, especially since the season has already begun. It is expected that Salah will remain at Anfield until the end of the season.

In addition, there is ongoing negotiation between Lazio and Marseille regarding the valuation of midfielder Matteo Guendouzi. Lazio is eager to secure a deal for the 24-year-old, but Marseille is holding out for €22m, while Lazio has only offered €15m plus bonuses. The two clubs are still apart in their negotiations, but a deal seems to be getting closer.

Finally, Al Ittihad is interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos, as reported by RMC Sport. Despite Al Ittihad's desire to offer the Brazilian a lucrative contract, Marquinhos is said to prefer staying with the Ligue 1 champions. There have been recent reports suggesting that Marquinhos' captaincy at PSG is under threat, but it seems that he is committed to the club.

As the transfer window enters its final week, there is sure to be more excitement and drama to come. Stay tuned for all the latest updates and developments in the world of football transfers.

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