'The Player Wants To Be Here' - Arteta Positive Balogun Will Remain At Arsenal

Published: February 12, 2021

Arsenal first team manager Mikel Arteta faced the cameras on Friday morning ahead of his side's Premier League clash against Leeds United and spoke about the contract situation of American-born Nigerian striker Folarin Balogun.

Nobody knows if Balogun will be a player of Arsenal next season with his contract running out on June 30, and he is attracting interest from the Premier League and German Bundesliga.

Arsenal fans are excited about Balogun after the striker caught the eye in the Europa League, scoring 2 goals and providing an assist in 61 minutes of action.

The 19-year-old fears he would not get game time if he extends his contract as the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah are currently ahead of him in manager Mikel Arteta's pecking order of strikers.

On whether Balogun will leave at the end of the season, Arteta was quoted as saying by arsenal.com : "No, I’m still very positive that Flo is going to stay with us and it’s what we’re trying to do as a club, and it’s what I’m trying to do as a manager.

"As far as I know from last week, the player wants to be here, so I’m positive. I think he’s made some big progress in a few months".

Balogun has played non-stop at Arsenal since the age of eight, rising through the ranks before signing his first professional contract in February 2019.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : arsenal.com

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