Arsenal have ‘no-brainer’ $65m Balogun dilemma as Arteta plots Man City transfer| SolSportHQ

Arsenal transfer news: The latest media briefing with stories and reaction to reports on Folarin Balogun’s future at the club and Mikel Arteta’s next Man City raid

Welcome to the football.london transfer briefing. To help you keep on top of all things Arsenal going on in the market we’ve got the latest noises coming from social media, journalists and so-called ITKs, rounding up what’s what in the world of the Gunners.

Balogun dilemma

Arsenal could be faced with an unwanted dilemma in their attempt to recoup £50million ($64.1m) for Folarin Balogun this summer. The Gunners reportedly want half of £100m for the USMNT star after his rise to stardom with Stade Reims last season.

Should Leipzig come in with an offer below Arsenal’s high valuation of the New York-born star, Mikel Arteta will have a decision to make whether to allow Balogun to go for less than what they initially wanted.

football.london says: The longer this transfer saga continues, the more likely that Balogun will be faced with having to step in himself. A move to the Bundesliga, playing in the Champions League and being a leading striker is simply too good to turn down.

An offer close to Leipzig’s recent bid for Openda will see Arsenal lose €17m of their valuation. Certainly not the worst-case scenario, but definitely not ideal. However, recouping nearly €50m for a striker with only two Premier League appearances and viewed as third-choice is a no-brainer.

Time will tell whether Leipzig will go ahead with their interest in Balogun. What is clear, is that they are desperate for a new number nine following Christopher Nkunku’s move to Chelsea.

Surprise Man City move

Arsenal are reportedly plotting yet another raid on Premier League title rivals Manchester City. The Gunners are reportedly looking at strengthening their options at right-back with a move for Kyle Walker.

According to Nacional, Arteta is keen on signing Walker this summer. The England international has one year left on his current deal in Manchester and has been the subject of interest this summer from Bayern Munich.

The report claims that Arsenal have contacted Man City over the possibility of a move for the 33-year-old, with a bid worth €16m ($17.5m). It is also claimed the Gunners like Julian Alvarez, though the Argentine is very unlikely to leave.

football.london says: We didn’t see this one coming. Walker was a pivotal member of Pep Guardiola’s side in their historic campaign last term, but at 33, it could be his time to depart.

The question, though, remains whether the former Tottenham man would like a move to north London. His place in City’s squad isn’t as secure as it once was due to Guardiola’s diverse playing style, meaning an exit could be tempting.

However, Walker showed multiple times of his ability to keep some of the world’s best wingers quiet. His electric pace works in his favour in attack and defence and we’ve already seen glimpses of his relationship with Bukayo Saka during their time together with England.