Still just 21 years old, Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun's 21 league goals last season meant he was only outscored by three players in the French top flight during a prolific loan at Stade de Reims.
Balogun is now looking for his new home and reportedly wants it to be a permanent stay rather than a temporary switch, so there will be much speculation about his next club.
The Gunners academy product is looking to leave Arsenal this summer on a permanent basis, according to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano on the Here We Go podcast,
Balogun also committed to the United States national team, scoring his first international goal in the CONCACAF Nations League final win against Canada that gave him an early trophy with his new team.
According to Romano, this leaves Balogun believing he's more than just a young talent needing time to prove his abilities, and instead an important player who wants to find a new home with a club that values him as a top player now. The Sporting News brings you the latest on Balogun's possible transfer this summer.
Folarin Balogun next club latest transfer news, reports
According to Romano, Balogun's representatives will meet with Arsenal in June to determine the next course of action. The first step to take is whether Balogun will leave Arsenal – and if so, what the asking price will be to facilitate the move and make Arsenal feel the valuation has been met.
Should the decision be made to sell Balogun, Arsenal will begin the process of gauging interest from outside parties. Romano states that Crystal Palace, Inter, Milan, Marseille, Monaco and RB Leipzig are in touch with the club, but more suitors could materialise as the process develops.
Romano notes that Balogun could bide his time finding a new club, as he'll try to wait for the striker market to flush itself out a bit.
With huge names such as Tottenham's Harry Kane and Paris St-Germain top scorer Kylian Mbappe both potentially on the move this summer, their first moves could set the market and cause a domino effect to ripple through the rest of the available striker pool.
Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth has claimed that Eintracht Frankfurt are in the mix, while also mentioning Monaco and Leipzig. Italian publication Calciomercato claims that AC Milan are interested in Balogun.
Is Folarin Balogun leaving Arsenal?
While it's not fully determined that Balogun will leave Arsenal, it seems likely at this point, according to Romano's reporting.
Sheth claimed weeks ago that Balogun was "leaning towards" departing, while, the Daily Mail was also on the same page, describing Arsenal's hopes of keeping Balogun as "fading" days later. The report stated that Balogun wants to play on a regular basis and that he would not be keen to sit behind Gabriel Jesus.
Folarin Balogun contract, salary at Arsenal
As a 19-year-old in the summer of 2021, Balogun signed a four-year deal with Arsenal that runs through the summer of 2025. Balogun therefore has two years left on his Arsenal contract.
According to Capology, Balogun's contract sees him earn approximately €1.8 million per year ($2m / £1.5m), or about €35,000 ($38,200 / £30,000) per week. While that's relatively modest for an Arsenal player, he was the highest paid player at French club Stade de Reims while out on loan, with his salary accounting for a whopping 15 percent of the Reims payroll.