ARSENAL striker Folarin Balogun is reportedly being eyed up by French side Reims.
The Gunners forward spent the second half of last season on loan at Championship outfit Middlesbrough where he scored three goals.
Balogun has struggled for first team minutes at Arsenal Credit: Getty Now he has returned to Arsenal, but with the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira coming into the squad, opportunities in the attacking third appear few and far between.
And according to L’Equipe, he is now being lined up as a replacement for Hugo Ekitike at Reims.
Ekitike joined the French champions earlier this summer for £30million after netting 11 times in 26 games last season.
Now Reims have made a shortlist of strikers who could fill his shoes – with Balogun thought to be one of them.
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Gunners ANNOUNCE Zinchenko, Tavares, Saka contract UPDATE Balogun’s contract does not expire at the Emirates until 2025.
However, he has received just 10 first team appearances since being promoted into the squad from the youth set-up at the start of the 2020/21 campaign.
As a result of his lack of minutes, Balogun may feel a move to Reims is a chance for him to get more game time.
With that said, Reims are not looking to break the bank for Ekitike’s successor.
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And with three years left on his current deal, that could make agreeing a fee a difficult task.
Reims are also reportedly looking at Genoa’s Aleksander Buksa and Genk’s Junya Ito.
The Ligue 1 outfit finished last season in 12th place.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
