Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun has been instructed by the club to find a new team after rejecting the opportunity to discuss a new contract, according to 90min.
The 22-year-old, who recently switched his international allegiance from England to the United States, had a successful loan spell at Stade Reims last season, scoring 21 goals in 37 appearances in Ligue 1. Despite his impressive performances, the American’s return to the Emirates Stadium does not seem to offer a clear pathway to the first team under manager Mikel Arteta.
🚨 All indications are that Folarin Balogun will be sold this summer. He’s out of contract in 2025 & he does not intend to sign a new deal or go out on loan again. He wants to be first-choice, ideally at Arsenal, but that is unlikely. If he is to go, he should generate a decent… pic.twitter.com/6miU0MAHRX
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) June 21, 2023
Balogun has emphasized his reluctance to go out on loan again, stating that he is uncertain about the discussions that will take place regarding his future.
With players like Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, and the imminent arrival of Kai Havertz, the Gunners have decided to allow the Hale End graduate to seek opportunities elsewhere. Crystal Palace, West Ham, Brentford, Fulham, and Everton have already expressed their interest in the young striker, while several European clubs have also made inquiries.
🚨 Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun is attracting interest from the Premier League and abroad, @skysports_sheth has told GIVEMESPORT.
🗣️ He said: “I think he's got two years left on his contract. If Arsenal do want to keep them, we've not heard of any noises of a new contract,… pic.twitter.com/Odsk2L2HYF
— afcsphere (@afcsphere) June 22, 2023
Lille, in particular, are monitoring Balogun’s situation as they assess their options, potentially as a replacement for Jonathan David. RB Leipzig is also considering a move if their pursuit of Lens’ Lois Openda falls through. With the London side valuing their young striker at over £30 million, a permanent departure from the Emirates Stadium seems likely for the promising young talent.
But everything can change if Arsenal receive an offer for Eddie Nketiah before. That would certainly put the club’s hierarchy in a pressure situation.
Selling both Nketiah and Balogun would make little sense. Thus, it would be intriguing to see who eventually leaves Arsenal.
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He’s coming across as quite an arrogant child or he’s getting very bad advice from his agent. Settle down and fight for your place like all the other players have to do.
It’s not so much about fighting for his place as not wanting to go on loan again.
Can’t say that I blame him TBH, as he knows that he’s very good, and probably feels that he’s worth a regular squad placement.
Let’s hope that we can get good money for him.
@Joe
You obviously haven’t been paying attention. But got all entangled in your feelings all the same.
Just like with any other job, if you don’t see a clear path to growth within the company, you move on. It’s got zero to do with arrogance, more to do with being in control of your own growth, instead of depending on someone else.
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Sell him or if West Ham are looking offer him & cash for Rice.
Is Rice really worth all the hype and the money west ham is asking for?
Very true.. same way he tried to arm twist Southgate to add him to the 3 Lions
And we are going to get peanuts for him I guarantee that. But if we were the one buying him we would’ve been quoted 70M and we would have gladly paid it with a smile on our faces.
Yes it is soooo annoying. Arteta knows him, so if he thinks he is too hot headed, he will undoubtedly sell him, however, I would’ve at least liked the chance to see him play up front. The media seem to imply that Saliba was pretty annoyed towards the end of his loan period as well, but that seems to’ve all calmed down.
If I were him, I would also not sign a new contract until the club can guarantee my place in the squad
If that’s the case, better sell him ASAP and use the money to strengthen the squad
In my opinion it’s better to keep Balogun and see what he can offer this season. Sell Nkethia. Except Balogun not ready to be a backup to GJesus. And who says GJesus can’t be benched if Balogun impresses with more goals and surpass expectations.
Why does this come out in Public as it will lower his value.
We do not have spinners at the club to cover up internal matters with sweet words and rebuffing media reports with the aim of maintaining high value for players.
One should come out and say the kid is not for sale even if they know they wanna sell him.
I am reluctant to judge his character based on hearsay. We know what we have with Nketiah, we don’t know about FB. Both will improve, but neither will really compete with Jesus in the short term. Our striker options are not on the necessary level IMO. We all know what Jesus contributes to the team, but will he score critical goals? When we need something in the last 20 – 30 minutes of a game, who will we turn to?
He has had a taste as main striker, he knows he is good enough to play for a half decent team and not sit on the bench for us. We want him to go on loan, he doesnt. Dont blame him.
Reggie
I agree with your comment. Don’t blame the lad for not wanting to go on loan again.
In article “afcstuff” post said Balogun “wants to be first choice.”
The source? Is it a quote from Balogun?
Only read Balogun himself saying he didn’t want to go on loan again. Fair enough, think he proved he deserves a chance, and IMHO has shown more than Nketiah who should be moving on this Summer.
Perhaps some one can show me where Balogun said he wants to be first choice, otherwise it’s media speculation and lies.
He also isn’t with the USA national team and wasn’t there for the game against Jamaica, instead choosing to return to our club.
Don’t blame him for not accepting a place behind Nketiah. Give him a chance and can always sell him in January. Arteta and Edu been wrong before, naive to sell before judging his performance this Summer preseason.
Then again Arteta prefers spending money rather than coaching up, it’s easier and I don’t blame him on the easy way out.
He wants to be first choice but at another club. He isn’t silly, he went on loan to Middlesbrough, again last season and he knows as well as he has done, he isnt first choice at Arsenal. Arsenal want money, he is saleable and it suits both.
Durand, Nketiah is not saleable now because of his huge wages. Yet another player teams would want but they cant afford his wages. I also think Nketiah is better than people give him credit for at Arsenal. He never let us down when he replaced jesus. Our problems started when jesus came back.
@ Reggie
Agree with you on Nketiah. He does the closing down very well and has natural instinct compared to Jesus who should play on the wings. In fact I think Martinelli and Nketiah should be used as strikers.
IG, i am not sayin Nketiah is God but he came in last season and outscored Jesus easily, did a good job. People don’t realise, he got injured, was playing with an injury because there was no other replacement and thats when his form tailed off. He then was out injured for two months. Trossard did a job and then jesus came back and struggled and Nketiah when fit again got left on the bench along with Trossard.
I thought Eddie started to drop, and then trossard did well for a couple of games. I wouldn’t say the problems started when jesus came back, but it did make us worse.
Thats what i said but the problems started when jesus was in the team, NOT Nketiah or Trossard. But they were kept on the bench and not many people are knocking Jesus’s part in his barren spell.
@Reggie
Realness…
I keep reading about how good MA is supposed to be at “ nurturing” young talent. Always buying one for the future. I guess Balogun didn’t have enough “samba” in his step. Jus sayin…
I think it is more of a case of Nketiah being the player in the way on 100k a week ahead of a player who surprised last season. We cant keep Balogun and we cant sell Eddie NG.
Been common knowledge for a while now that he wanted to go if he did not get assurances that he would get game time ,think RB Leipzig are interested but Arsenal want 50 million which I doubt will happen .
I believe he also does not want to go out on loan again so personally no would take anything close to that 50 million ,pays off alot of the have fee .
Time to start getting some money back and this is a good start .
Some of us called this happening years ago already. You can’t keep lying to players saying they are part of your plans and then never use them.
Based on MAs history of clear favouritism I cannot find fault with Baloguns decision. If he goes on loan he’s delaying the real start of his career and if he stays he’ll be behind Jesus and Eddie and rot on the bench.
You can call him arrogant or whatever but you’d be stupid not to do the same thing if you were in his boots.
Once again another relationship break down that will result in lower than expected revenue. Clubs can now lowball because of the situation.
When will MA learn to handle these kind of situations properly. Requires a behind closed doors meeting where hes honest and admits to a player that he isn’t part of his plans and then discusses with the player to arrange the sale and preferred clubs.
Good luck Balogun
All other academy players are watching all of these situations and wondering how they’ll ever get a fair shot.
You work your way up, make the 1st team, go on loan, do exceptionally well but then don’t get a fair chance at a run starting in the 1st team even when you kept pace with Mbappe in a worse team.
Its only fair that Balogun is given a chance to prove himself at Arsenal.This reminds me of the Saliba situation.
This boy went out on loan,stood his feet as a main striker and performed exceptionally well.
This season,the person who should go on loan to a team that he is not second choice is Nkettiah.Its time he leads the line for a team and proves he can do it at high level for a whole season not the cameo appearances he has been having.
Only this way will we make an unbiased decision on this two.
@cliff
Except Arsenal we’re crying out for a solid CB after white didn’t live upto his transfer fee playing there (he as now )we have Jesus Eddie and flo who are all pretty much carbon copies of each other ,there is no way he will get anything like the chances he wants if Jesus is fit and I doubt the club want 3 strikers that can all do the same job without mixing it up ,I would love a proper target man with pace but unfortunately the club are not in the market for one ,which I think will be a mistake this season.
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@Dan Kit
I like your “carbon copy” synonym.Our C.Fs are quite so similar in how they play and i agree we would do with a different calibre in that position for technical reasons.
As you mentioned,it seems a new C.F is not on our list this summer.Thats why we have to choose between the two. I would say give Balogun a chance as he wouldn’t be any worse than Eddie. E.N should go out on loan to a team where he is first choice and confirm that he can be in the same league with Watkins,Bamford, Toney,etc. It may even help him get an international call up.
TBF I’ve not watch Balogun goals from last season (maybe I should )but with Eddie signing a new contract last season I cannot see him going out on loan ,I’m sure he will be happy being backup to Jesus who will be our mainstay number 9 this season ,if we can get 30-50 million for Balogun then I say take it and it pays a good lump sum off Havertz fee
Fair enough. It’s a Valid option too.
Why do people like to talk as if they know every details that went down off the screen among coaches, players and other staffs … I see no reason why people get worked up and complain everyday about things they have little or no idea of.. every story lately do not just have two sides again but multiple sides… If we all can do better than The club staffs why not switch professions
Because JA is a site that caters for fans not professional managers,I think your in the wrong place buddy 😂
Sites like this wouldn’t exist if you wanted your post to hold traction.
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Has he been told we want to loan him again? That would be stupid – whatever the case, he’s reached a crossroads, either he gets a chance here or he moves on. Delaying is only going to annoy him and reduce his value in any transfer. Don’t blame him at all for standing his ground – it *seems* like they’re pressuring him to sign a new contract to “protect his value”, which wouldn’t work, and would only serve to reduce his options if he didn’t get a fair shake next season. I’m all for loyalty to the club, but it’s got to go both ways – we have to do the decent thing at times like these and not hold him back from a move on the off chance we have a striker crisis next season.
Have to factor in as well, that this is just one side of it. Can’t say I know the truth.
From the club’s perspective, as I’ve said before, this is the best time to sell, as well. Unless we’re convinced he’s the next big thing and are going to pick him for plenty of games, which doesn’t appear to be the case, we won’t get any more money for him that will would this summer.
What everyone seems to fail to have noticed because they just listen to what the media tell them is that as a French gooner and watching league 1 he scored 7 pens and some lucky goals.Eddie is a far more rounded player at this present time.Not saying he might be incredible in years to come as he has a lot of confidence in him self but if we can generate 30-40 mill now it would be excellent business
I still believe he deserves a chance with us.
Arsenal will be in the UCL next year and they cannot afford to field severely weakened teams so Balogun will get opportunities. I think Arsenal should sell Eddie and see if they can then convince Balogun to stay, because this could end up being another Serge Gnabry.