Arsenal are in a racing to complete a planned £100million summer fire sale as Monaco prepare an improved offer for Folarin Balogun.
Striker Balogun has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium but the club still value him at £50million.
Mail Sport understands that since arriving back from a loan spell at Reims last season, Balogun has spent part of the summer away from first-team training.
The 22-year-old has not been named in the match-day squad for either of Arsenal’s first two games of the season.
A number of clubs have registered an interest in Balogun this summer. Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham are among the teams to have enquired.
Striker Folarin Balogun has been deemed surplus to requirements at Arsenal
The Gunners could sell centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes if they can find suitable replacement
But it is understood Arsenal would inflate Balogun’s asking price to sell to a direct Premier League rival.
AC Milan and Inter Milan have shown an interest, but it is Monaco who are believed to be most advanced in the race to land the USA international.
Monaco saw a bid rejected by Arsenal earlier in the season but talks are ongoing over an improved offer closer to the Gunners’ asking price. Arsenal expect an offer from Monaco by the end of the week.
The striker is unlikely to be the only player out of the Emirates ahead of next week’s transfer deadline, with as many as nine players still possible to depart.
There has been uncertainty regarding the future of Gabriel Magalhaes after he was left out of the starting XI for the first two matches of the season.
Clubs in Saudi Arabia have been keen on trying to lure the Brazil international, while Real Madrid have also weighed up a move as they look to replace long-term injury absentee Eder Militao.
Indications are that Gabriel is most likely to stay, but there remains a small chance that Arsenal would consider letting the centre-back leave if they could find a replacement they believe is an improvement on the 25-year-old.
Marc Guehi at Crystal Palace is admired by Arsenal, but landing the England defender so late in the window would be difficult. Palace have shown an interest in Gunners defender Takehiro Tomiyasu this summer, but the Japan defender has an important role to play following the ACL injury suffered by Jurrien Timber.
Arsenal are in a race to raise £100m in player sales before the transfer window closes
Elsewhere Kieran Tierney has been a target for Newcastle, Aston Villa and Real Socieidad; while Albert Sambi Lokonga is wanted by Brighton.
Offers could also arrive for Rob Holding, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares and Nicolas Pepe.
Arsenal, who could yet enter the market to sign a defender or wide attacking player, have already sold Granit Xhaka, Pablo Mari, Matt Turner and Auston Trusty raising just over £40million.
But there is hope that the club can recoup at least £100million more in sales before the window closes
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