Balogun has had limited appearances during pre-season, featuring as a substitute against Nuremberg and the MLS All-Stars. However, he remained unused in their recent defeat to Manchester United in New Jersey.
According to The Mirror, the growing talks of his exit have resulted in Balogun training alone ahead of the upcoming clash with Barcelona. The competition for a starting spot in the attacking lineup at the Emirates Stadium has intensified, with the addition of Kai Havertz to provide more depth alongside Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah up front.
The signing of Leandro Trossard in January further bolstered the wide options, with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka already in the mix and Reiss Nelson recently signing a new contract. Arsenal values Balogun at £50 million, and Inter Milan has emerged as one of the interested clubs in the striker.
Gazzetta dello Sport reports that after unsuccessful negotiations for Romelu Lukaku, Inter Milan is now turning their attention to Balogun. Although a deal for Alvaro Morata has also been considered, Inter Milan has put it on hold as they prioritize their interest in Balogun.
Balogun is seen as a more desirable option due to his lower wages and potential for growth at his young age, whereas Morata is in the later stages of his career, being over 30 years old. With Lukaku's return to Chelsea and Edin Dzeko's departure to Fenerbahce, Inter Milan's coach, Simone Inzaghi, is in search of a new striker to partner with Lautaro Martinez in their 3-5-2 system, which proved successful in reaching the Champions League final last season.
During the 2022-23 season, Balogun had a breakout year while on loan at Reims in Ligue 1, impressively scoring 21 goals in 37 league games. Additionally, he has earned international honors after switching allegiance to the United States, contributing a goal in the final that helped the USMNT secure the Nations League title earlier in the summer.
