Report: Arsenal demanding £15m for Folarin Balogun | OneFootball

Arsenal have reportedly rejected an opening offer from Sheffield United for young striker Folarin Balogun.

According to reports from the Daily Mail, the Blades have offered £3m plus add-ons for the 19-year-old. It is a very good offer, considering the youngster is in the final year of his contract.

With no assurance given on a contract extension at Arsenal, the player is set to leave the Gunners.

However, the north Londoners want a structured deal worth in the region of £15m, five-times the amount offered by Sheffield United. It has been claimed that the Blades are ‘left stunned’ by Arsenal’s demand.

Balogun is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club from January, and in that case, the Gunners are entitled to only a small compensation fee.

Daily Mail claims that Arsenal rejected an offer in the region of £5m for Balogun in January. Premier League rivals Southampton and Brighton showed interest in him, while Serie A giants AC Milan and clubs in Germany are also in the race for his signature.

Balogun is a highly-rated young talent and Sheffield United have earmarked him as a potential option as they look to bolster their forward department.

He scored 28 goals in 28 appearances for Arsenal’s youth sides during the 2018/19 season. Last season, he netted 10 goals in just 15 appearances for the Under 23s before the campaign was curtailed in May.