£100m Arsenal fire sale: West Ham United make approach to sign Folarin Balogun

West Ham United have made an approach to Arsenal for striker Folarin Balogun with the Gunners set for a £100million fire sale before the end of the window, according to the Daily Mail.

The newspaper reported in their print edition (24 August, pg 71) that Mikel Arteta’s side considers the American disposable while the Hammers, Chelsea and Tottenham have enquired regarding the 22-year-old. but would likely sell him to Premier League sides for an inflated price amid interest from Serie A.

Following his 21-goal haul on loan to Ligue 1 side Reims last season, the Mail claims that Monaco are believed to be in the most advanced position to seal his signature.

While Balogun could be a dominant force for the Hammers, this move seems unlikely.

The Daily Mail reported (23 August) that Balogun would command a £50million fee which feels slightly out of West Ham’s price range even considering their hefty transfer kitty this summer.

Balogun himself looks unlikely to be a Gunner before the window shuts and has attracted plenty of interest across Europe. He is still a young striker developing his game. Once outstanding season in the French league does not translate into a prolific Premier League scorer, so West Ham committing potentially £50million for him is something if a gamble.

Question marks remain over why Arsenal are happy to let him go too, especially with the absence of Gabriel Jesus. Monaco may be the ideal destination for the USMNT star.

Continuing his development in Ligue 1 could be a smart move by Balogun. If he continues to shine like he has, he could be much more ready for a big move after honing his craft by the Mediterranean.

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West Ham United transfer news emerges as Jhon Solis confirms contact

West Ham United have made contact with top-flight Colombian side Atlético Nacional regarding their midfielder Jhon Solis, according to Caracol Radio.

The Colombian radio network reported on its website (22 August) that the Hammers and Brighton had “entered the bidding” for the 18-year-old who was described as “one of the men of the moment in Colombian soccer” following many outstanding performances.

The report also claims that Nacional had accepted a bid from either West Ham or Brighton for £943,000 for the Colombian who has made 24 league appearances since 2022 and has featured seven times for his country at youth level.

While Solis’ name is virtually unheard of among Premier League fans, his quick rise through the ranks at Nacional suggests he could be a top talent in the making.

With the Hammers and the Seagulls all sending scouts to watch the teenager in the flesh, he could be a prospect for the future.

He had recently been on the radar of Portuguese giants Porto, with Nacion Futbol reporting (30 May) that the club had been tracking him, so he has been catching the eye of top European sides for a while.

Solis broke into the Nacional first team in 2022 after being an academy regular but earned regular starting positions from the start of 2023.

The teenager operates as a central midfielder mostly, but per TransferMarket he has played as both an attacking midfielder and right-mid. He is very skilled at reclaiming possession in key central areas, while his ability to keep the ball with his close control and technique allows him to spring progressive passes to forwards.

While goalscoring does not seem to be part of his game, having yet to get on the scoresheet in the Colombian league, early glimpses of him suggest that he has the profile to develop into a quality player.

At such a young age and with a low fee, it may be worth a gamble to bring the exciting youngster from Colombia to Stratford.