Arsenal have reportedly slapped a £26m asking price on the head of in-demand striker Folarin Balogun.
The England Under-21 international has unexpectedly developed into one of Europe's most promising strikers while on loan at Reims, scoring 18 goals in 29 Ligue 1 contests.
Only Jonathan David, Kylian Mbappe and former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette (all 19) have struck more in the French top flight than Balogun, although Reims' president has already labelled their chances of keeping the 21-year-old "impossible".
Balogun is therefore poised to return to the Emirates for pre-season, but a plethora of top European clubs have inevitably been alerted to his prolific exploits under Will Still.
The striker is contracted to Arsenal until 2025 and still harbours ambitions of leading the line for the Premier League leaders, but he would likely still be third in the pecking order behind Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
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With Balogun said to be after first-team assurances in order to stay at Arsenal for the 2023-24 season - which the club cannot guarantee him - the Gunners will not stand in his way of moving on for an acceptable fee.
According to French outlet L'Equipe, a fee of €30m (£26.8m) would be enough to prise Balogun away from the Emirates, as the England youth international has no plans to extend his Arsenal contract.
Arteta is understood to be satisfied with Jesus and Nketiah as his out-and-out centre-forward options, with the latter stepping into Jesus's boots admirably while the Brazilian recovered from knee surgery.
Furthermore, Leandro Trossard - who has hit the ground running in North London - can deputise in the number nine role, while Gabriel Martinelli is also capable of leading the line.
Arteta refused to rule out a summer move away for Balogun when questioned in February, and the striker has affirmed that no decision on his future will be made until he returns to North London.
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The likes of AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Marseille and Inter Milan are all said to be keeping a close eye on the future of Balogun, who has been on the books at Arsenal since 2011.
The New York-born forward enjoyed a number of prolific campaigns at youth level before making his senior bow in 2020, but he has just 10 first-team appearances to his name for the Gunners.
Balogun has two goals and one assist to show from those 10 matches, and all of those contributions came in the group stage of the 2020-21 Europa League campaign.
The Reims loanee has seven goals from 13 games in an England jersey at Under-21 level, but he is also eligible to represent the United States, and his senior allegiance is yet to be decided.
Ben Knapton
