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According to Mirror, Napoli have identified Arsenal's Folarin Balogun as Victor Osimhen's replacement. The Nigerian has been one of the key players for the 2022-23 Serie A champions this season.
Osimhen is in demand in the transfer market with clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain keeping tabs on the player. He could leave the Italian club in the summer, according to various reports.
This has pushed Napoli to scout the market for a suitable replacement, which has led them to identify Arsenal's Balogun as a potential target. Balogun had a great loan spell at Stade Reims this season. He scored 21 goals and provided three assists across competitions.
While he will return to north London in the summer, chances of him getting a first team spot are slim. Mikel Arteta already has Gabriel Jesus in his ranks and a new striker could arrive in the summer. This means the £30 million rated Balogun could head to the exit door.
However, replacing Osimhen would be a big ask for any player. The 24-year-old was one of Europe's most in-form players in the 2022-23 season. He scored 30 goals and provided five assists in 38 matches across competitions.
Expert questions Arsenal's striker target choice
Arsenal have reportedly been linked with a move for Montpellier forward Elye Wahi. French football expert Jeremy Smith, though, questioned the Gunners' choice, claiming that Folarin Balogun is a similar player.
With Balogun looking set to leave Mikel Arteta's side this summer, Smith is unsure why Arsenal are targeting a player with a similar profile in Wahi. He said (via football.london):
“I’m not completely sure why Arsenal go for Wahi over Balogun if they’ve already got him. It feels a little bit like [2021] when I asked why spend £50million on Ben White when you’ve already got William Saliba?"
He added:
"Although that’s worked out slightly differently because White is just as good as a right-back. But Balogun and Wahi are very similar players, I think they’re both huge talents. They’re both basically centre-forwards, but more than just foxes in the box, they can run the channels and they’re decent dribblers."
Balogun, who has made 10 senior appearances for the north London side, looks unlikely to remain with the club next season. Rather than another loan spell away, a sale could be on the cards for the 21-year-old who recently chose to play for USMNT over England.
