Folarin Balogun is determined to prove himself to Arsenal after impressing in French football. The 21-year-old striker is currently challenging Kylian Mbappe for Ligue 1’s Golden Boot after joining Reims on loan for the season. Balogun failed to get any playing time during Arsenal’s summer tour to the USA, which convinced him to prove himself on the other side of the Channel.
Currently, only PSG superstar Mbappe and Lille’s Canadian World Cup star Jonathan David have scored more than Balogun’s 17 goals in the French league this season. Balogun is focused and determined to show people that his success is not a fluke and that he can consistently score goals. He still dreams of playing for Arsenal’s first team, but he had to be realistic and decided to come to France after speaking with Mikel Arteta.
Balogun knew he was joining a team that would be fighting to stay up and that every game would be tough, but he also knew that Ligue 1 is one of the top five leagues in Europe and had a lot of belief in himself. He has flourished under the guidance of Reims’ Belgian-English coach Will Still, who thinks he can have a top career in the game.
Reims have made it clear that they would love to sign Balogun on a permanent basis, but they know they will not be able to afford the asking price for a player whose value has rocketed on the back of this season’s exploits. Arsenal must now decide whether to sell him in the summer or bring him back to the Emirates to challenge Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, and Leandro Trossard for a starting place next season.
With Still being mentioned as a potential replacement for David Moyes at West Ham, there is even the possibility of a £30million move across London for Balogun in the summer.