Arsenal could land payday as Juventus eye Balogun move

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Arsenal could be in line for a sizeable payday in January, with former academy striker Folarin Balogun emerging as a transfer target for Juventus.

Balogun, 25, left Arsenal for Monaco in 2023 in a £34.3m deal after coming through the Hale End academy. As part of that sale, Arsenal inserted a 17.5% sell-on clause into the contract, meaning any future transfer fee would trigger a significant windfall for the club.

That clause nearly paid out over the summer when Balogun had a medical at Everton ahead of a proposed £38.5million permanent move from Monaco. The deal fell through on deadline day, however, when the United States international opted against signing and left Everton's Finch Farm training ground without putting pen to paper.

Juventus weighing up options

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Balogun is now one of three striker options being considered by Juventus for a January move, with the Serie A club growing concerned over the form of on-loan Newcastle forward Nick Woltemade.

Woltemade has scored just once in four appearances since joining Juventus on loan from Newcastle in the summer. His struggles continued during the international break, where he missed a gaping chance from close range in Germany's win over Serbia, drawing heavy criticism in the German press. Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti had hoped the forward would return rejuvenated under Jurgen Klopp's new Germany coaching set-up, but that has not materialised, and Juventus are not expected to make his loan move permanent.

Along with Balogun, Al-Qadsiah's Mateo Retegui and Frosinone's Antonio Raimondo are also being considered by Juventus as alternative striker options, per the same report.

What it means for Arsenal

Since leaving Arsenal, Balogun has scored 31 goals and provided 13 assists in 92 appearances across all competitions for Monaco. Should Juventus follow through with a move and agree a fee with Monaco, Arsenal would be entitled to a cut of that fee under the sell-on clause, much as they would have received had the Everton deal gone through.

Balogun spent 15 years at Arsenal, 12 of them in the Hale End academy, before making his first-team debut in a Europa League tie against Dundalk in 2020. He never established himself at senior level at the Emirates, struggling during a loan spell at Middlesbrough where he scored just three times in 20 appearances, before his eventual departure to Monaco.

Any January movement involving Balogun will be one to watch for Arsenal, with the size of the windfall ultimately depending on the fee agreed between Juventus and Monaco.