OFFICIAL: Balogun bids farewell to Arsenal, joins Monaco

Folarin Balogun, the talented striker and American international, has officially departed Arsenal and made the move to Monaco in Ligue 1. The deal is believed to be worth a substantial 40 million euros and Balogun has signed a long-term contract with Monaco.

The decision to leave Arsenal was driven by Balogun’s desire for more playing time. He found himself lower down in the pecking order, behind starting striker Gabriel Jesus and fellow academy graduate Eddie Nketiah.

Monaco identified Balogun as the solution to their need for a striker, particularly with the unfortunate ACL injury suffered by Breel Embolo. This injury will keep Embolo out for an extended period of time.

Despite interest from Inter Milan and Chelsea, the financial constraints of Inter Milan prevented them from engaging in negotiations with Arsenal. Moreover, Chelsea faced difficulties in prying Balogun away from their Premier League rivals.

It has been reported that Arsenal included a significant sell-on clause in the negotiations, highlighting their belief in Balogun’s immense potential.

On their website, Arsenal expressed their gratitude to Balogun for his contributions from the academy to the first team. They wished him well in his new chapter at Monaco.

For more information about Balogun’s move, you can visit the official Twitter account of AS Monaco.