International striker Folarin Balogun, scorer with the United States on Sunday in the Concacaf Nations League final, has warned his English club Arsenal that he will no longer leave on loan, after spells in the jerseys of Middlesbrough then of Reims, France.
“I’m not sure how the talks will go, I’m not sure what’s going to happen. (….) What I can say is that I will no longer leave on loan, ”warned the young (21) striker.
A product of the Arsenal academy, Balogun is coming off a remarkable 2022-23 season with Stade de Reims, during which he scored 21 Ligue 1 goals. (English 2nd Division).
Born in New York and arrived in England at the age of two, Folarin Balogun, who could also have chosen Nigeria, opted for the selection of the United States in May.
Sunday, in the final of the Concacaf Nations League, he contributed to the American success against Canada (2-0), scoring the second goal for Team USA. He also played in the semi-final on Thursday against Mexico (3-0).
“It’s incredible. Incredible … It’s really a dream scenario for me, ”he reacted after the victorious final.
And if, at first, Balogun intends to enjoy a family vacation, he greedily evoked the rest within the American selection.
“What surprised me the most was all the talent in this group. In my opinion, there are a lot of players who are going to have great careers, who are still young, just like me,” he commented.
Coach B.J Callaghan, for his part, welcomed the “speed” with which the player successfully integrated into the selection.
In club, Folarin Balogun can however expect a tough battle if he wants to win a starting place at Arsenal, where Brazilian international Gabriel Jesus is firmly established at the forefront of the attack. In this position, the Gunners can also count on another promising youngster, Eddie Nketiah.