Former USMNT forward Eric Wynalda has warned Gareth Southgate that he may regret not picking Folarin Balogun for the senior side as the on-loan Arsenal forward continues to be the centre of international allegiance speculation.
The 21-year-old was initially part of Lee Carsley's Under-21s Three Lions group for the most recent set of matches but pulled out with injury. It comes as he weighs up a potential switch to playing for the USA's national side instead.
Balogun, who has starred for Will Still's Stade de Reims side in Ligue 1 this season, scoring 17 times, was born in New York and is eligble to play for USMNT should he decide to. Despite playing almost solely for England at youth level he has been capped for USA Under-18s on two previous ocassions.
READ MORE: Arsenal star Bukayo Saka sends brilliant message to Michal Rosiak after Man City stunner
Now seen as one of the most promising young attackers in the world, Balogun wasn't included in Southgate's squads to face Italy and Ukraine last month with Harry Kane and Ivan Toney preferred. It's something that Wynalda thinks might haunt the boss.
Speaking on The Action Network's Wondergoal Podcast, the 53-year-old said: "Southgate may want to backtrack a bit from his comments that if Folarin Balogun waits patiently he could eventually be given a chance with England. Clearly Balogun is and will be pursued by the USMNT.
"He is apparently leaning to the USA and has taken down some things from his Instagram page that involved his time with the England youth sides. His trip to Orlando was highly documented over the international break and the US supporters are already creating shirts with his name and the number nine on the back. I think he changes the complexion of the US side more than any other player in the past or present."
Not only as a highly rated forward, Balogun is attractive to USMNT as central attackers are at a premium in the current set-up. He faces much more competition for England though with Callum Wilson, Ollie Watkins, Tammy Abraham and Arsenal teammate Eddie Nketiah amongst those competing for the positions.
Southgate explained his decision at the time, with the comments Wynalda referred to, saying: "It is up to the player to weigh up where his heart feels. Is he prepared to wait a little bit for an opportunity if he backs himself and feels he can push his way into our squad? Because anybody who has followed us will know that we will give young players a chance.
“So, we cannot go and give first-team call-ups to someone just because we don’t want them to go somewhere else. We like Flo. He has obviously not had an opportunity in the Premier League yet, so we have to weigh up those goals to Ivan [Toney], for example, or Ollie Watkins. Or Eddie Nketiah, who has done really well with the opportunity he has had at Arsenal.
“I know there are going to be offers as 80 per cent of our players can play for more than one country now, and we are not arrogant expecting everybody to want to come to play for England. We have to make them feel wanted and feel part of that.
“Ultimately, it does not matter what you say. If you cannot give them the opportunity now, then some people are patient and want to see it through and are prepared to wait a bit and others want it now and I can totally understand that.”
Southgate also admitted he hadn't addressed it directly with the player. “I haven’t yet because to this point, he has been with the U21s,” Southgate explained. “I am very happy. Clearly, other nations have been quite aggressive in their recruitment and what they are offering.
“That, in my experience of history, has been really successful for the players and sometimes hasn’t worked out. Countries cap players at 16 or 17 and they disappear. In the end, as a player, I think you back yourself but you have to ultimately make the decision.
“We would like him to give it some time and if he is progressing the way he is and continues that progression there will be opportunities for him but I cannot offer him that this week. I think if we did, I don’t think that would be fair on Ivan Toney who has scored the goals he has in the Premier League.”
READ NEXT:
Latest Arsenal injury news as four miss Liverpool with William Saliba wait
Everything Richard Keys has said about Arsenal and Mikel Arteta after 'dangerous' comments
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka sends brilliant message to Michal Rosiak after Man City stunner
Gabriel Jesus injury hope revealed after Arsenal star causes 'problems' in Leeds United game
Arsenal's five toughest Premier League matches left in Man City title race
