AC Milan’s search for a new centre-forward is on and they have taken an interest in the Arsenal-owned striker Folarin Balogun, a report claims.
According to Calciomercato.com, Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara are looking to sign a striker in the summer given that Olivier Giroud is the only certainty at present. Divock Origi and Ante Rebic have been disappointing while Zlatan Ibrahimovic could leave at the end of the season, thus ‘starting the revolution’.
Balogun is one of the players on their wish list in view of the summer, with the 21-year-old have netted 18 goals in 29 games for Stade Reims on loan from Arsenal. He is a young profile that Marseille, Monaco, Inter and RB Leipzig also like a lot, and the Gunners will have to make a decision before next season.
Balogun in fact has a contract with the London club which expires in 2025 but the report cites the The Athletic who state that he will only stay at Arsenal if he is considered a starter, otherwise he will leave again and this time permanently.
A sale is the most probable scenario but Arsenal want at least €35m, a sizeable figure but one that is ‘absolutely within Milan’s reach’.
I’m surprised this is the guy we’re linked with, given his price and the fact that Arsenal need a quality back-up and future replacement for Jesus. Balogun fits that role and is already owned by them. Thuram, Wahi, Retegui, and David seem to be more realistic for us.
Tottenham and Arsenal are interested in Wahi so we can’t get him. Thuram prefers Barca. David is too expensive and misses too many chances. Retegui is a best option out of them for us. Anastasios Douvikas could also be a good option.
To sign a good quality striker, I would advise looking at the conversion rate of the striker rather than the number of goals scored…for example if oshimen scored 80% of the chances he gets, he would have as many goals as haaland does in this campaign if not more, conversion rate is important because getting a striker who fires blanks 60% of the time will likely have trouble with a team that doesn’t create as many chances. So I would advise M&M take a look at the total goals scored and the total chances a player has, a player might be getting so many chances but only scoring a handful of them. Goals are not everything.
And also WHERE he has scored and against which kind of teams. De Ketelaere’s goals in Belgium weight a lot in Serie A, eh?
In under those conditions Thuram moves to the top of the list. And he’s free. Then there’s Scamacca, but I’m not sure of his conversion rate, plus he’d probably be the most expensive option given the price they paid and his salary. It puts Kolo Muani put of reach value wise. It puts Okafor and that kid linked from Belgium near the bottom. Balogun would be after Thuram, but maybe before Scamacca.
I’m pretty much with you on these assessments. Not sure about Balogun vs Scamacca though as Scamacca has proven he can score in Italy and COULD be available for a discount after the poor season.
How about Retegui? How would do rank him? I think he’s a wildcard that could be great but… I still think he’d probably be a flop if we got him instead.
*How would you rank him?
FFS, I hate this so-called forum as one can’t even edit these comments.
Not sure. His good performances for Italy were as unexpected as they were welcome. I think just under Scamacca/Muani since he’s untested in Europe, but he would be among the cheapest options outside a free signing, so the risk is lower technically speaking.
Sorry, Scamacca/Balogun.
But we won’t be able to get any of them other than him. I believe Wahi has the best conversion rate out of all the strikers we are interested in.
@Doki, by what metric? goals scored over chances? That’s tough for the average person to work out. There is perhaps some obscure website that tracks that, but I don’t have that stat. It would be the best stat. Goals over games played? In that case Wahi is at .50, Balogun is at .62, and Thuram is at .50. So in that sense Balogun has the best goals per game rate, however Thuram plays in the Bundesliga, so gets a lower handicap, to borrow a term from golf. But it’s an interesting discussion. They all have their strengths, Balogun’s being the higher strike rate. In Wahi’s favor vs. Balogun there is height, and the fact that he’s only 20, while Balogun is 21. Not a huge difference in age, but there it is. Meanwhile Thuram is taller and older than either (but free).
In the dark time berlusconi . We once have striker with high conversion rate in carlos bacca. If conversion rate you aiming and play in 5 top league europe from target striker rumoured that will be balogun & jonathan david. But i will prefer david , of course i dont think AC Milan have enough budget buy him from lille unless we win champion league trophy this season
*How would you rank him?
this guy is legit but we will never get him in a million years