Folarin Balogun: AC Milan target Nigeria prospect as Giroud replacement

By Olu Dare

Folarin Balogun has become a target for Italian giants AC Milan – who are keen on having his replace Olivier Giroud following his impressive season so far with Reims in France, according to Calcio Mercato.

Giroud has enjoyed a brilliant time in Milan, helping the Rossoneri win the Serie A title last season. He also scored the winning goal to help his team silence Spezia 2-1 on Saturday.

Nevertheless, AC Milan is hoping to get replace him with an Arsenal loanee of Nigerian heritage Balogun.

“Olivier Giroud is back as an absolute protagonist with two very heavy goals in the Champions League against Salzburg. We talk about it again from a World Cup perspective, but given his age, Milan will also have to think about new, younger strikers,” the website reads.

“Behind Giroud could therefore be inserted a young striker, of value but not excessive costs. AC Milan, therefore, looks around, and the French league could hide an extremely interesting player who reflects these characteristics.

“A possible special note could be Folarin Balogun, who is playing on loan at Reims and with excellent results. The class of 2001, already approached Milan at a very young age a couple of years ago, has so far collected seven goals and two assists in Ligue 1, thus allowing glimpses of talent and the possibility of improvement.

“A market the transalpine one that Milan often observes, even if in the case of Balogun it would then be necessary to go to Arsenal, owner of the 21-year-old’s card, who sent him on loan just in search of a maturity that could also be tempting to the Rossoneri. The valuation is around 15 million, but every goal risks making it grow.”