English Premier League side Arsenal have sanctioned the temporary departure of Anglo-American-Nigerian center forward Folarin Balogun away from the Emirates Stadium in the January transfer window.

The England U21 international committed his long-term future to his boyhood club by signing a contract extension in April 2021 with the hope that he would be catapulted into the first team squad of Arsenal.

Though Balogun is now a bonafide member of the first team in theory, he has been more utilized in Premier League 2 and Papa John's Trophy matches so far this season.

Although the striker is heavily linked with a move to the Championship, allnigeriasoccer.com has been told that the Hale End Academy graduate has two other leagues in mind - the Bundesliga and French Ligue 1.

Balogun's representatives are also in talks with unnamed German and French teams who are interested in signing the Arsenal wonderkid on loan.

Arsenal have already done loan business with German and French clubs this season, sending out Mattéo Guendouzi and William Saliba to Marseille, while center back Konstantinos Mavropanos is at VfB Stuttgart.

Balogun was left out of Arsenal's matchday squad against Everton on Monday night and was instead on U23 duties in the Premier League 2 at about the same time.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel