Arsenal loanee admits he has improved on loan
Folarin Balogun, who’s currently plying his trade at Championship club Middlesbrough, has admitted that his loan move has benefitted his development.
The young striker was offloaded on a temporary basis in January to aid his development. Since his arrival at Boro, he has gone onto appear an impressive 15 times.
It’s clear that after having looked out of place in the Arsenal first team in the first half of the campaign, he’s finally getting the opportunities he needs to develop as a player.
“I have definitely become a lot more mature,” Balogun said on Football365.
“Playing in the Under-23s I could get away with things sometimes but transitioning to men’s football I’ve noticed you need to play with your head a bit more and know when to do certain things.
“My game’s come on but I know there’s still a lot more I can do to improve. I wouldn’t say every player needs a loan. Every player has a different journey. Looking at mine, at the time a loan was the right thing to do so I went ahead with it.
“It’s an opportunity to learn. Any opportunity to learn is worth it. I wouldn’t say I go into games thinking I need to impress. I’m in this position because of my quality.
“It’s not something I need to show, I just need to do it on a more consistent basis.”
With Alexander Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah both out of contract in the summer, it is no secret that Arsenal will enter the market hoping to sign a big-name player.
However, having a good back-up is also a necessary piece of the puzzle that needs filling. And that’s where Balogun can see himself if he keeps on improving at the Riverside Stadium.
Staff at London Colney and the club’s faithful have high hopes for the Hale End graduate. The question is not whether he will hit the ground running on the big stage or not.
The question is when?
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…