Arsenal youngster Folarin Balogun is considering leaving the club as contract talks stall.
That’s according to the Metro, who says the striker has grown frustrated with a lack of first team opportunities for the Gunners.
Sheffield United tried to sign Balogun ahead of this season and had a £3m offer rejected.
This was before the club record arrival of Rhian Brewster. But they’re sure to still be keeping a close eye on Balogun’s development.
The 19-year-old is out of contract next summer and could be available as a free agent. Due to his age, any side that does sign him would still have to pay Arsenal a compensation fee.
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Balogun is clearly highly rated at the Emirates Stadium and made his senior debut in last week’s Europa League win over Dundalk.
Ahead of last night’s match with Molde in the same competition, club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wrote in the programme:
“He is very, very talented, for sure, and he shows every time he plays with us that he’s a really great talent.”
Could United sign Balogun if he leaves Arsenal?
(Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has shown he is prepared to give young players a chance during his time in charge.
Bukayo Saka and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are both regulars and have been included in Gareth Southgate’s most recent England squad. Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock have also been involved a lot under Arteta.
Therefore the evidence is there that Balogun could get his opportunity. But the teenager is clearly going to have to be patient.
“Eddie was on loan, he wasn’t playing and now he’s playing. Bukayo wasn’t playing the minutes that he is playing under me, the same with Joe. Reiss didn’t play today because he was injured. If not he would have started the game tonight again,” Arteta said after the 4-1 victory over Molde, as quoted by the Metro.
“The good thing is that they’re not just young players so we have to give them the opportunity, they have to earn that right to play and they are doing that. That’s a really positive thing and how lucky we are to have this generation.
“We (have to) develop them in the right way and the right way sometimes is giving them the opportunities when they deserve it.”
If Balogun does leave then the Blades might be in the running. Although their future as a Premier League club is likely to play a big part in that.
A host of Bundesliga sides are also thought to be interested as well.
