There’s so much hype about Folarin Balogun, the Arsenal prodigy who has taken Ligue 1 by storm. In 26 league games for Stade de Reims, the 21-year-old has scored 16 goals.
His league stats make him the best Arsenal striker this season, and many Gooners would love for him to return and be a part of Arteta’s project, but there are others, like former Arsenal star Kevin Campbell, who feel he isn’t ready for Arsenal.
Campbell notes the Arsenal striker is in top form, but he may not be a guaranteed hit to thrive at Arsenal, and thus Arteta shouldn’t gamble on him, instead he should be bold enough to sign a ready-made striker like Victor Osimhen.
Campbell said on Highbury Squad Youtube, “Balogun has been doing so fantastic over in France, but is he the answer? Could he do the job? He’s untested at Champions League level. We’re being linked with Osimhen; that’s the type of player, you think ‘he’s the one.’
“If he came in, you could dovetail Champions League midweek, [Gabriel] Jesus is so versatile, [Leandro] Trossard is so versatile, [Gabriel] Martinelli is versatile. We can mix and match, and that’s the type of squad we need.”
With injuries, and the fact that Arsenal will no doubt be back in Champions League football, Arsenal will need a reliable, bigger squad with players who can perform game after game. The days of waiting for promising prospects to find their top form are long gone.
Signing top stars like Victor Osimhen and Declan Rice could be the only way forward. Do you think Arsenal would be better off cashing in on Balogun (or loaning him out) and aiming to land Osimhen instead?
Daniel O
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Please do a fact check he has scored his 17th goal for Reims. Regarding Osimhen, you just have to check MA’s tactics longterm and whether he would be a striker who can fit our gameplay? IMO its also nearly impossible to sign him after his blinder of a season which has pushed his value to 100mil euros so you are looking at a minimum of 170 180 mill euro to prise him away from Napoli.
I also heard Napoli will only sell Osimhen at 150 M
We should only sell Balogun if there’s a 60+ M offer, because of his age, productivity and homegrown status
Why anyone would want to sell Balogun without giving him a chance in the team is beyond me !!! 100% we can’t buy a proven goalscorer with the money we would get for Balogun so let him fight with Nketiah and Jesus to be the starter
Trossard can compete with Nelson Martinelli and Saka for the wingers position
ESR compete with Ode for that role
If we get Delan Rice he will compete with Xhaka. I think Elneny would be the 3rd one and Vieira needs to bulk up or have a year on loan.
Need cover at RB and CB. Sadly Tomi seems to be injury prone!
Napoli will not sell Osimhen for anything less than €150m I can guarntee that for certain as they are hard negotiators also and take no non sense. I honestly don’t see him leaving there this summer esp now they are 18points clear in the league so a league title, strong squad for next seasons champions league which they are still in a d have a chance to win this year considering their massive lead in SerieA.
I’d still give Balogun a go next season here as we did Eddie, Eddie like Emile Smith Rowe is doing now is going to have to work hard after his injury. Same could be said for Nelson. Pre Season will tell us alot but we are in no rush or need to sell Flo and what a fantastic Season he is having in Ligue1, Kudos to the kid. We will keep Balogun, Mikel rates him very highly and will almost certain give him a chance.
He’s home grown also and we are thriving in that department with a few more Academy Graduates possibly getting a chance also and better loans to improve.
We are in good shape.
Trossard has had a remarkable influence in a short time and has helped unlock teams that low block; so far that is.
Highly unlikely Arteta benches Saka, Martinelli, or Jesus when fully fit, and he also doesn’t like to rotate very often.
Point being any attacking option is likely to be a backup, so why spend significant money when Balogun is already on the books?
He has to work in Trossard, and Balogun can be another good option, and we also have ESR and Vieira. Defense seems set with depth, adding Balogun to attack would give us good depth also.
Midfield depth is the issue for me, Vieira isn’t working at all in CM, and we need another option at CM and DM; Jorginho isn’t long term.
I hope they target Onana who offers versatility in midfield, and maybe sell Lokogna to help fund a second addition. I believe 2 midfielders in the Summer and we are ready for a sustained run in PL and CL for the next several years.
if i were to tell arsenal fans halaand is willing to cme to arsenal for 200M.will most arsenal fans not sanction the transfer.Go and do your fact check on Oshimeh from his youth level till now,You would see this is a rising star who will rival the best 9s in the world in a few years from now and even now his ready.Arsenal has lacked a dreaded CF for years and oshimeh brings that fear factor to any opposition.I would love for balogun to come back and Nkiteah sold and maybe nelson (thanks to his loyality) also and give way for Oshimeh and balogun and convert jesus to the wings and let Oshimeh and Balogun be our CFs only. I believe Jesus can play were saka plays on the right and martenelli and tossard on the left. Now thats depth in attack and no fear of injuries..Then add Rice and another right CB or left back to the team and we are good to go next season and no one can stop us..We should stop this mentality that cox a player is not EPL material his not worth. Now let me ask those saying Oshimeh is expensive.. Tarvaras. Vieri, Lokonga,Mari and others who were bought fro other leagues with the pedigree of the stats similiar to osmihen, how was it turned out..Arsenal deserve the best players and Oshimeh would be a statement that we are ARSENAL FC ok.
I agree totally. As white can also be a central defender, I would invest in a versatile full back who can play as right back and drift into midfield (just to mix it up as a tactical nightmare for the opposition). If Xjaka leaves then i would go for McALlister or Madison as an improvement like for like type of player. Balogon is an excellent striker but needs to improve his team play technical skills to fit in to our team at present, so perhaps a loan out for another year to a more technical team. Perhaps a loan deal to Napoli with a purchase agreement of one of their top attackers in return . Also Rice or Calcedo or both of them if we have the funds available.
If arsenal should go all the way to sign victor osimhen arsenal will be unstoppable in all competition in scoring goals,arsenal are the most created goal chances clubs with the most talented wingers with some one like victor osimhen as number 9 while Gabriel jesus will play along side him as 8 arsenal can go all the way to get champion league next season
Are the current goal scoring options considered inadequate? Do we need to upgrade the level of our forwards who have collectively scored 30+ goals? Are the 25+ goals from the rest of the squad being discounted as irrelevant?
Do we really, really need an actual shiny new striker when we already have some great goal scorers?
Do we need to spend unnecessary £millions which could be more effectively spent elsewhere?
Please don’t waste that sort of money on this player. We need to first sort out our midfield (Partey’s deputy).
We have enough goal scorers in the team at the moment. Lets concentrate our midfield because I don’t trust Jorginho.
Balo-Gun to remain a Gun-ner.
“The days of waitiong for promising prospects to find their top form are long gone”??
You seem to have missed the whole basis for Arsenal finally being back in contention.
It has come from relying mainly on young talent to be developed and turned into important players in a real team.
The days of trying to get one name, when other teams can outbid us or buy 2 for every 1, we get, are long gone. We are on a different plan, and so far it is working.
Frankly, I’d prefer we keep Balogun and let Nketiah leave to go to a team that will play to his strengths where he can play every week.
totally agree with you, I would rather we sell Nketiah than Balogun, I believe he(Flo) will be a great striker. Manutd are getting the oil money and will definitely outbid us for Osimhen.
we may be in contention, we may be back, but we are still not up to shopping at Harrods!!!
Midfield first, then maybe Balogun or a cheap and cheerful forward.
We should keep Balogun. If Balogun was a Brighton player we would be offering them 100m to sign him !!