West Ham ready £26m move for ‘frightening’ Arsenal player who’ll help Arteta acquire Declan Rice in a swap deal
According to reports, West Ham is ready to compete with a prominent European team in the pursuit of signing a star player from Arsenal. This signing could potentially facilitate the transfer of Declan Rice to another London club.
West Ham has secured their place in the Premier League and has also made it to the final of the Europa Conference League. If they win the final against Fiorentina on June 7th, they will qualify for the Europa League in the following season.
Although West Ham’s season seems promising, there are indications of upcoming changes within the club.
West Ham is reportedly considering Marco Silva from Fulham as a potential replacement for David Moyes if the latter is removed from his position. In terms of the team’s players, there is a possibility that striker Gianluca Scamacca may return to Italy.
The 24-year-old Italian international has had a difficult first season in England and has played a secondary role to Michail Antonio since the World Cup break. AC Milan is said to be interested in Scamacca, and there is speculation about a potential loan deal with an option or obligation to buy.
According to Get Italian Football News, Milan has shown interest in signing Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun as a striker. However, there are reports suggesting that Balogun could potentially end up at West Ham instead, which would open the door for Scamacca to return to Italy. West Ham is reportedly prepared to compete with Milan for Balogun’s signature.
Balogun has been in impressive form this season, scoring 20 goals for Reims in Ligue 1. Journalist Paul Brown has previously praised Balogun, describing his potential as a center-forward as “frightening.” Balogun was loaned out to Reims last summer but it is now believed that he may be available for a permanent transfer at the end of the season.
alogun reportedly does not want to go out on loan again but does not have a clear role in Arsenal’s team. Mikel Arteta considers Gabriel Jesus as his first-choice center-forward, with Eddie Nketiah as the primary backup, leaving Balogun as the odd man out.
According to reports, Arsenal is looking to fetch a transfer fee of around £25m-£30m for Balogun’s signature. The article from GIFN suggests a valuation of €30m (approximately £26m).
Furthermore, the potential move of Balogun to West Ham could create an opportunity for Arsenal to pursue their top target, Declan Rice. Rice, an English international, is expected to leave his current club this summer and has attracted interest from Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool among other suitors.
It is reported that Declan Rice has a preference to stay in London and wants to challenge himself in the Champions League. Arsenal is the only club that can fulfill both of these desires, although the cost of the transfer presents a hurdle.
West Ham is said to be demanding a staggering £120m for Rice, a figure that Arsenal may be hesitant to meet, as suggested by the Daily Mail.
GIFN proposes the idea of including Balogun as part of the deal to reduce the overall cost of signing Rice to a more reasonable level. This would involve using Balogun as a makeweight in the transfer.
Alternatively, the two deals could be negotiated separately. However, if Arsenal allows Balogun to join West Ham, it could potentially lead to a discount on the price for Rice, as a gesture of goodwill or as part of the overall negotiation.
West Ham ready £26m move for ‘frightening’ Arsenal player who’ll help Arteta acquire Declan Rice in a swap deal