Explained: Why Folarin Balogun price tag is higher for Chelsea & Spurs than it is for transfer rivals in race for Arsenal’s USMNT striker

The Gunners are aware of the mounting interest being shown in United States international Balogun. He was expected to have been on the move before now after hitting 21 goals while on loan at Ligue 1 side Reims last season.

Balogun is eager to find regular first-team football and has been edging his way towards the exits at Emirates Stadium – with leading sides from across Europe mulling over moves for his services. Chelsea and Spurs are said to form part of that pack, but the Daily Mail claims that they will need to meet a full £50 million ($63m) valuation in order to get a deal done.

That is because Arsenal are reluctant to do business with a Premier League rival – particularly London neighbours – and will not offer any discount to domestic foes. With that in mind, Monaco remain favourites to land the highly-rated 22-year-old after already seeing one offer knocked back.

Balogun has not been included in Arsenal’s matchday squad at the start of the 2023-24 season, while spending time training away from the rest of Mikel Arteta’s squad, and is set to form part of a mass exodus from the Emirates before the summer deadline passes on September 1.