Things are looking up for Arsenal under the guidance of Mikel Arteta but striker Folarin Balogun is reportedly ready to move on from the Gunners to further his career.
Arsenal are on a high after bouncing back from their pre-season defeat to Manchester United to beat Barcelona 5-3 in their warm-up match at SoFi Stadium on Thursday.
Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard (2) and Fabio Vieira all scored for Arsenal to secure an impressive victory for Arteta's side.
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There were several high-profile names missing from the squad, including Oleksandr Zinchenko – who is struggling with a calf problem – and Declan Rice, who picked up a knock in training ahead of the game.
There was also no sign of Balogun, who trained away from the rest of the squad before the match.
Speaking after the win, Arteta confirmed Balogun had been left out because of an injury.
"He was unavailable,” Arteta said. "He has a little foot injury and hasn’t been training with us."
Balogun has been linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer and Arteta did little to play down the speculation surrounding the striker's future after the Barcelona match.
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When asked if Balogun is part of his plans for the season, Arteta added: "We will see. First of all, he needs to be fit and play minutes."
Balogun impressed while on loan at French club Reims last season, scoring 22 goals in all competitions.
But he faces stiff competition for places at Arsenal, with Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Trossard ahead of him.
According to reports in Italy, Inter Milan have submitted a £30m offer for Balogun, which has been swiftly rejected by Arsenal.
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Italian outlet Sport Mediaset claim Inter offered Arsenal an initial £25m fee for Balogun, with a further £5m to be paid in add-ons.
Arsenal are reported to have immediately rejected the bid and are seeking up to £50m for the United States international.
Another report by Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, claims Balogun is 'ready to push' for a move away from Arsenal this summer.
But earlier this month, Balogun said he was relaxed about his future.
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"I obviously went away and the point was to prove I could play first team football," he said.
"I feel I was able to do that and show people I can play at that level. I think with me coming back it's not really much of a situation where I think I can need to try extra hard to prove something, I think it’s a decision that’s not really with me.
"Whatever happens I'm cool with it."
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Arsenal, Transfers, Inter Milan, Premier League, Serie A, Football