Arsenal will have to make a crucial decision in the summer about what to do with Folarin Balogun.
Balogun has been sensational in France for loan side Reims, netting his 18th goal of the season at the weekend with a last-gasp penalty to earn a point in a Ligue 1 match against Brest. The player has made a name for himself having struggled for senior game-time at Arsenal and with only three strikes to his name during a loan spell with Middlesbrough in the second half of last season.
Balogun has now presented Arsenal with a transfer 'puzzle', report The Athletic, with different things to consider come the end of the season. It is being reported that Balogun, unsurprisingly, is not keen on a third loan move away from the Emirates Stadium next season, with the player set to move into the final two years of his contract come the summer.
But with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah leading a title charge for the Gunners and on big contracts until 2027, Balogun will have a big task on his hands dislodging either of them. Arsenal, meanwhile, can cash in on a player in superb form with his value heightened significantly because of his stellar season come the transfer window, with top clubs across Europe such as AS Monaco, Olympique de Marseille and both Milan clubs said to be keen on him.
Crucially, they can offer him a starting role and an expected increase in salary. There are big decisions on the horizon for both player and club, with Balogun also pondering a switch of international allegiance to the United States of America from England.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, is delighted Balogun is excelling abroad. "I'm so happy for him," Arteta said.
"He's a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career, he's really ambitious, really committed and really brave. We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and the other choices he had.
"He was so convinced, I'm really happy for him because he deserves what he's getting."
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