There’s no denying that, much like William Saliba last season, Folarin Balogun’s loan from Arsenal to Ligue 1 has been a success.
The young striker has taken the French league by storm by finding the back of the net 15 times in 24 appearances, which will clearly please Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal decided that guaranteed minutes elsewhere would be better than spending time on the Emirates bench or with the reserves, and they were right.
They want to make the most out of the talent they have at the club, with the young forward joining Arsenal back in 2011.
He is a Gunner through and through, and it’s clear that being a success at Arsenal would mean the world to him, which is why his time at Reims is of utmost importance for him.
“Before training, for example, we did keepie-uppies for around 30 minutes just to familiarise ourselves with the ball. We did a lot of passing games, a lot of dribbling, and when you grow it becomes more and more natural. I realise now the benefits of this formation because it helps me on the pitch. It gives me an advantage on other players who weren’t formed as well.”
Loaned to Reims without an option to buy, Balogun is expected to return to Arsenal in the summer, at which point a decision on his future will need to be made by Arteta and the rest of his staff.
