Folarin Balogun's next Premier League loan destination needs to be the perfect move for him and the club. It is imperative that the Gunners do not allow a buy-option in a deal as it would prove to be another grave mistake in squad management.
According to the Daily Mail, Fulham are interested in a deal to sign Balogun on loan for next season. It has also been reported that Marco Silva wants to sign the striker temporarily with a view to making the deal permanent.
Arsenal must avoid including a buy-option at all costs, because not only does he have the potential to be a starting Arsenal striker in the future. But the Gunners have included the option-to-buy in other loanee’s deals this season, which they could regret.
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Matteo Guendouzi and Dinos Mavropanos have been excellent on the loan moves away from the club this season. However, Arsenal were unable to reap the full value they are worth because a buy option was already included in the loan deal before they progressed throughout the season.
Arsenal could certainly risk repeating this with Balogun if he is to excel in the Premier League with Fulham next season, who are destined for promotion from the Championship. But, if Edu can simply agree on a loan deal without a view to a permanent move, then it would be the perfect next step for Balogun.
The youngster has been gaining valuable experience since joining Middlesborough on loan until the end of the season and he has had a great chance to replicate his youth team qualities at the first-team level, with the FA Cup fixtures are also giving him an excellent platform to show his abilities against Premier League opposition.
Balogun played so well in the under-23 competitions that before the signing of his new Arsenal deal in the summer, there were a host of top clubs around Europe, including RB Leipzig, that signalled interest in securing his services, despite not making a first-team appearance.
Balogun was good enough for first-team football, but Arteta didn’t seem to think he was capable of Arsenal’s level just yet. The striker testing himself at the first-team level was an idea that was supported by England under-21 boss Lee Carsley, as he said: “Watching him in the U23's for Arsenal, it's probably a little bit too easy for him and he's passed that level.”
Now with first-team football under his belt in the lower leagues, a spell in the Premier League where he plays regularly would certainly be great for his development. A move to Fulham would be great for all parties involved, but if Arsenal includes an option to buy in a deal, then it would certainly be a transfer they’ll come to regret in a few years' time.
