Stan Kroenke sets Folarin Balogun transfer fee for Arsenal as Bukayo Saka role emerge
Folarin Balogun probably didn’t expect to attract so much interest from top European clubs a year ago, but that is now his situation. He has impressed while on loan at Stade de Reims and has become the joint top scorer in Ligue 1 alongside Kylian Mbappe and Jonathan David with 15 goals.
This has made him a sought-after player ahead of the summer transfer window, and it is uncertain whether he will continue with Arsenal.
Balogun previously had difficulty securing a spot in Arsenal’s first team and struggled during a loan spell at Middlesbrough, where he scored only three goals in 21 appearances.
He is now ready for a new challenge, and has spoken about the advice he received from Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, and his desire to improve.
“I speak to Emile and Bukayo a lot,” he said. “They tell me to be patient. They tell me it is not an overnight thing, which it hasn’t been for them. It would be naive for me to think that. You just have to keep practicing, then you see the rewards and when you are ready you will take the opportunity. I know I am not at the level I want to be, but I know the performances I am putting in. I know I am going in the right direction.”
Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, recently spoke to the press and expressed his happiness regarding Balogun’s improvement. He also confirmed that a decision about Balogun’s future would be made after the season concludes.
“So happy for him,” Arteta began. “He’s a boy with a really clear idea of what he wants to do in his career. Really ambitious, really committed and he’s really brave. We discussed before whether it was the right place to go and other choices that he had. He was so convinced and I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.
“He’s got something special. That’s why we gave him a long-term contract and have faith in him, and give him the long period that he’s having now, because the period he’s having now is different to the one before at Middlesbrough. The plan is that he finishes his period there, assess the situation where he is, where we are, then sit down and plan the next chapter in his developing career.”
On paper, the idea of a much-improved Balogun competing with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in Arsenal’s attack next season is exciting.
However, it remains unclear whether Balogun is willing to fight for his place in North London. Given that Balogun has demonstrated his ability to contribute at the senior level, he will likely seek regular playing time at the Emirates, which could be challenging.
This is something that other clubs, such as AC Milan, Inter, Villarreal, and Marseille, may be able to provide. According to pianetamilan.it, Arsenal has set a £35 million valuation for Balogun, who has reportedly drawn interest from those clubs.
Meanwhile, Reims President Jean-Pierre Caillot has acknowledged that it will be “impossible” for the French club to secure Balogun on loan for another season. Instead, he sees a transfer to a “high-level club” as a more realistic possibility.
Speaking to France Bleu, Caillot said: “I think it’s impossible (that Balogun will return on loan next season). The rules of the game are very clear: these are boys who, when they join us, know that they are there to reveal themselves and this is a stage for them.
“So even if I don’t decide for him, either Folarin will return to his club Arsenal to have his chance, or he will be loaned out again or even transferred to a very high-level club. He is a player who must go even higher.
“So obviously, we will ask the question to him, who feels good here, and to his club but I think that today he will have to take a step. We are already working on the future ‘Balogun’ the day he will be taken to leave the club. But hey, if he and his club agree to do another year at Stade de Reims, we will do everything to make it happen.”
Stan Kroenke sets Folarin Balogun transfer fee for Arsenal as Bukayo Saka role emerge