Italian transfer market guru Fabrizio Romano has criticized Arsenal for not tying down New York-born striker of Nigerian descent Folarin Balogun to a new contract at least one year ago.

The England U20 international's current deal expires in June 2021 and there is talk about him leaving with at least fifteen clubs monitoring his situation, something which horrifies Arsenal fans as he is one of the top talents in the academy.

Balogun has impressed off the bench in this season's Europa League with two goals and one assist, and wants to be guaranteed regular playing time before committing his long-term future to his boyhood club.

With the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli ahead of him in manager Mikel Arteta's pecking order of strikers, it is going to be difficult for him to break into the Gunners' first team.

"My personal opinion, Balogun is an amazing talent and it's crazy to arrive in January negotiating with his agents and not having a new contract one or two years ago," Romano told AFTV.

"You need to be fast when you have when you have this kind of talent. The situation, I'm told Balogun is not close to signing with another club.

"He has like 15 bids on the table from Italian clubs, English clubs, German clubs. Many clubs are talking with his agent because now he's a potential free agent for the summer.

"They're talking to his agent and offering him some different, he has some big clubs who see him as part of the future of the club and some mid-table clubs trying to get him to make him play. Balogun wants to play, his priority is to play."

Balogun, who joined Arsenal at U8 level, is a player of interest to Liverpool, Swansea City and VfB Stuttgart.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : arsenal.com

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