Inter Milan have reluctantly given up in their pursuit of securing Romelu Lukaku on a permanent deal and have turned their attention to Arsenal’s American striker Folarin Balogun, Gazzetta dello Sport reports.Chelsea have been playing hardball with Inter, trying to recoup most of the massive transfer fee they paid to re-sign Lukaku in 2021, but their talks failed to result in an agreement. Instead, Lukaku is inclined towards a move to Juventus. It left the Nerazzurri with no choice but to seek alternatives. It’s probably for the best, as the Belgian’s personal problems made him just a memory of the player he used to be. The former Anderlecht youngster indicated several times over the past year that he’s keen to seal his return to San Siro, but he seems to have his head turned by Juventus’ interest.Balogun loves Arsenal – but he loves playing moreSimone Inzaghi was forced to draw up a list of potential alternatives in attack – with Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun highlighted as the best option. The Nigerian boy, who was born in New York City 22 years ago, graduated from the Gunners’ youth academy but is yet to get a real chance at the Emirates. And he has said several times that playing regularly is much more important to him than staying at Arsenal for the sake of it. His performances on loan at Reims last season ensured his status as an established goalscorer. He netted 21 goals in 37 appearances for the Ligue 1 team, finishing fourth in the goalscoring standings. His fine season led to quite a few clubs looking at him. Ironically, Chelsea is one of them. ##NAJAVA_MECA_7374728##Atletico Madrid forward Alvaro Morata, who has two stints with Juventus and a track record of scoring goals in Serie A, is reportedly another target for Inzaghi. Jose Mourinho’s Roma, who are also interested in the Spaniard, would likely compete with Inter for his signature.
