Chelsea, five other clubs want Folarin Balogun

Chelsea has 'opened talks with Arsenal's Folarin Balogun' as their search for a new center forward continues.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough campaign while on loan at Reims last season, scoring 21 Ligue 1 goals in 27 games.

Born in New York, Balogun also ended the season by resolving his international future by becoming a senior international for the USA and scoring his first goal against Canada last month.

His performances have attracted clubs from across Europe, with Italian giants AC Milan and Inter Milan, French sides Marseille and Monaco plus German’s RB Leipzig all expressing their interest.

There is now a chance Balogun could stay in London, with Football Transfers reporting the Blues have entered talks with the striker.

Arsenal has placed a £ 50 million price tag on the striker, who is expected to leave this summer as he is keen for regular game time but does not want to go on loan again.

He has been on the Gunners' books since he was seven, but Balogun has only made 10 senior appearances for the club and spent the second half of 2021/22 on loan at Middlesbrough before his spell at Reims.

If the Arsenal man does join Chelsea, he will be a welcome goal source for a side that struggled in attacking areas last season. Only three teams scored fewer Premier League goals than the Blues last season, and their top scorer Kai Havertz has left for the Emirates.

Mauricio Pochettino, who gave his first press conference as Chelsea boss on Friday, will be boosted by the arrivals of Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, but both are versatile forwards who can play across the front line rather than genuine number nines.

 The new manager has hinted that Romelu Lukaku could be brought back into the fold after spending last year on loan at Inter Milan. Lukaku is not another season at Stamford Bridge, but selling him now would likely result in a huge loss for Chelsea.

Pochettino does seem keen to bring in more players as he said on Friday: 'The squad is not the whole squad yet, but the players are open and the attitude is amazing. We are going to add more quality.'

On Lukaku, he added: 'Everyone knows what we think. In that case, he needs to come back on the 12th or 13th to be part of the squad to start pre-season.

'When he arrives the first thing he'll do is come to my office and say hello. If he is still a Chelsea player, I expect the same.