Folarin Balogun: Finally Turning Away from Nigeria?

Though he has starred for England at different age-grade levels, Nigeria football administrators are still hoping that Folarin Balogun could still be lured to play for the country of his parents, but with his invitation to the Three Lions, hope of the Arsenal forward playing for the three-time African champion may have dimmed 

Arsenal striker of Nigerian descent, Folarin Balogun was invited by Manager Gareth Southgate to train with the Three Lions on Tuesday.

The English Football Association informed that four Young Lions players were involved in Wednesday’s workout, the others being Morgan Gibbs-White, Jacob Ramsey and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

The Three Lions are preparing to take on Hungary, Germany and Italy in UEFA Nations League matches this month.

This is not the first time Southgate has invited a promising player of Nigerian descent to train with the senior squad, with ex-Fulham midfielder Tayo Edun and Chelsea academy product Dominic Solanke working out with the Three Lions in November 2017 and September 2018 respectively. 

Balogun has been selected in the latest England U21 squad for upcoming games against Czech Republic, Kosovo, Albania and Slovenia in U21 Euro qualifying.

The Hale End Academy graduate has played  31      senior games combined for Arsenal and Middlesbrough FC, where he spent the second half of last season, scoring five goals.

Born in New York City, Balogun is also eligible to represent the United States apart from England and Nigeria.

“Balogun has unique qualities as a striker – his speed and the way he holds the ball. He’s a real goal threat and he works tremendously hard,” Arteta said recently. 

“He’s a very hungry boy. He wants to do everything and wants to practise more every single day. He will be pushing anybody in our first team to get his spot and that’s exactly what we want. 

“He’s got the chance. Now it’s time for him to prove himself.” 

Meanwhile, Balogun’s future at Arsenal could be at risk due to Arteta’s next transfer move. The Gunners are reportedly chasing a young striker, which would threaten Balogun’s place in the team.

According to the Athletic, if Arsenal signs a second striker in the summer, it may be a player earlier in their development. The club are looking at 19-year-old Czech forward Adam Hlozek.

Balogun who just turned 20-years-old is also another promising forward for Arsenal. But the arrival of Hlozek could stunt his growth at north London. Balogun will need to prove himself in the Premier League to secure a place back into Arteta’s side.

The Englishman started the first Premier League game for Arsenal last season against Brentford, which was the moment it seemed he had finally broken through into the Arsenal. However, he was unable to make another start and was eventually loaned out to Middlesborough.

Balogun needs another loan away from the club to be given more game time, especially if Hlozek was to join the club. A Premier League loan would be the perfect move for the 20-year-old.

According to the Daily Mail, Fulham are interested in a deal to sign Balogun on loan for next season. It has also been reported that Marco Silva wants to sign the striker temporarily with a view to making the deal permanent.

Arsenal must avoid including a buy-option at all costs, because not only does he have the potential to be a starting Arsenal striker in the future. But the Gunners have included the option-to-buy in other loanee’s deals this season, which they could regret.

The youngster has been gaining valuable experience since joining Middlesborough on loan until the end of the season and he has had a great chance to replicate his youth team qualities at the first-team level, with the FA Cup fixtures are also giving him an excellent platform to show his abilities against Premier League opposition.

Balogun played so well in the under-23 competitions that before the signing of his new Arsenal deal in the summer, there were a host of top clubs around Europe, including RB Leipzig, that signalled interest in securing his services, despite not making a first-team appearance.

Now with first-team football under his belt in the lower leagues, a spell in the Premier League where he plays regularly would certainly be great for his development. A move to Fulham would be great for all parties involved.

It would be disappointing for Balogun if Arsenal were to sign Hlozek, as that role should have been preserved for Balogun after he signed a new contract with the club towards the back end of the 2020/2021 season. However, the Englishman must continue to thrive in his loan moves to continue to show why he deserves to be a part of Arteta’s
plans.