Arsenal could be about to complete an impressive £65m double sale with both Folarin Balogun and Albert Sambi Lokonga of interest to Ligue 1 side Monaco, it has been reported.
Balogun is catching the eye of several clubs around world football, including Tottenham and Chelsea. However, it is believed that Monaco currently lead the race for the USMNT striker, who scored 22 Ligue 1 goals last season in an impressive loan spell.
As per CBS Sports, ‘negotiations between the Ligue 1 side and Arsenal have progressed positively over recent days and although a second formal offer has not been submitted, CBS Sports sources view Monaco as the front runners’. Though they are not expected to meet Arsenal’s £50m price tag initially, it is added that ‘additional clauses and bonuses could bring it close to that value’ should a deal be struck, with Balogun himself keen on returning to Ligue 1.
He may not be the only Gunner heading for the French riviera though. Football.London report that Lokonga, who is also a target for Brighton this summer, is wanted by AS Monaco in case they lose Youssef Fofana, who has been subject to interest from Nottingham Forest and Manchester United this summer.
‘If Lokonga is to leave, football.london understands that Ligue 1 is a likely destination’, they claim.
Should he do so permanently, it is likely that Arsenal would demand roughly what they paid for the Belgian two summers ago and the two deals combined could be set to take Arsenal’s summer sales over the £100m mark, though still some way short of their £200m outlay.
Though a slow burner so far, Arsenal’s sales could pick up drastically in the final days of the transfer window.
