After scoring 21 goals in Ligue 1 last season while on loan at Reims, many would have expected Arsenal youngster Folarin Balogun to slot in seamlessly. The young lad has clearly made giant moves in his life and career, especially in choosing to represent the USA at his prime. He had the chance to represent Nigeria or England but made his choice, and has already represented the USMNT. Returning to Arsenal was expected to be a foregone conclusion but even as he takes part in the Gunners’ preseason regime, there hangs an aura of him being closer to the exit door than staying in North London. After last season’s numbers, the least Balogun would want is an assurance of playtime, which has been hard to come by at Arsenal, looking at the talent at the Gunners. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has not said it expressly, but undertones indicate selling the youngster is among the options being looked at.
Last season’s performance
With his performance last season, his age and valuation, Balogun will not fall short of suitors. His potential is clear and tipsters like https://cheekypunter.com will definitely have him in high regard. However, a decision on his future will have to be carved out as soon as possible, to allow him time to focus on his game before the season starts. Ligue 1 side Reims may not marshal the finances to bring him on board but a number of clubs abroad are already reported to be interested. German side RB Leipzig have made an enquiry about the US forward, in an apparent move to fix their attack after key departures. The Bundesliga side has seen Christopher Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai leave while Timo Werner didn’t really impress on his loan spell from Chelsea. It will be interesting to see how Leipzig proceeds with this chase, but they aren’t the only ones.
Potential suitors
Last season’s Champions League finalists Inter Milan are also potential suitors for the young forward. Inter will be offloading Romelu Lukaku after failing to agree on a price with Chelsea for the Belgian striker. The Italian giants have a chance to replace him with a much younger player, but with that the price will be higher. Arsenal are reportedly quoting a fee of £50m, and will be justified, considering Balogun was the highest scoring player aged 21 or below across the big leagues last season. There is no question about Balogun’s mental maturity. The way he conducted his business at Reims, competing for individual accolades against some of the best players in the world, the calmness of his game and his choice of international representation. He is definitely keen on building on last season. While he remains a rough diamond, Balogun has left Arsenal in a dilemma. They could cash in on a potential world class forward and come to regret it. However, the Gunners need to move with speed and make a decision on him; to keep him or allow him leave for a decent figure to be reinvested in the team.
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