Folarin Balogun set to finally sign new Arsenal contract
By Tom Gott
After months of uncertainty, Arsenal teenager Folarin Balogun is set to end the speculation about his future by putting pen to paper on a new contract with the Gunners.
The 19-year-old academy striker, whose current deal expires in the summer, appeared on the verge of leaving Arsenal back in January when reports emerged stating he was close to signing a pre-contract to move overseas.
Soon after, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta publicly admitted he was hopeful that he could talk Balogun into staying, and the Daily Mail state that he has managed to do exactly that.
Arteta is understood to have worked tirelessly to convince Balogun that he has a future at Arsenal, and handing the teenager a handful of substitute appearances in the first team has helped reassure Balogun that he can make a permanent breakthrough at some point in the near future.
The news, which has since been backed up by the likes of David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano, will come as a huge boost to Arsenal, who at times felt as though Balogun was closer to leaving than staying at the Emirates.
Premier League sides Manchester City, Everton and Crystal Palace had all expressed an interest in Balogun, while there was also interest overseas from the likes of VfB Stuttgart, Monaco, and Bayer Leverkusen.
However, he is set to snub them all in favour of putting pen to paper on a deal to commit himself to Arsenal until the summer of 2025.
So far, Balogun has managed five substitute appearances for Arsenal, four of which came in the Europa League group stage. He scored two goals and grabbed an assist in that competition, which had some fans calling for the teenager to be promoted to the first team permanently.
A moment Folarin Balogun will never forget ?
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 26, 2020
His first goal for Arsenal on just his second senior appearance!
They really like the look of him at the Emirates ?#UEL pic.twitter.com/FpIwurBy3M
Arteta is yet to put that level of faith in Balogun, who has instead fired home eight goals in 16 appearances for the Under-23 side and watched on while senior forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has struggled.
The Gabon international has contributed just nine goals in 25 appearances in all competitions - an alarming return for a player who takes home up to £350,000-a-week - and Balogun may feel it's time for a changing of the guard.