Arteta confirms that Folarin Balogun’s agent is the biggest issue in keeping the young Arsenal striker who ‘wants to stay’
Mikel Arteta has suggested that despite Folarin Balogun wanting to stay at Arsenal the player’s agent is proving difficult to deal with.
Last Updated: January 7, 2021 9:53 pm
Arsenal working on Balogun stay
The future of Folarin Balogun at Arsenal has been a saga at the club for the duration of the season. The young English forward has just 6 months left on his current deal meaning he is free to negotiate with other clubs during the current winter window for a free transfer come the end of the season.
Arsenal have attempted to reach an agreement with the highly-rated striker who has made his senior debut in the Europa League this season scoring twice in 3 appearances. The club have rejected previous bids from Brentford and Sheffield United in the past and there is likely to be further interest in the forward should he not remain with the Gunners.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup tie with Newcastle this weekend, Mikel Arteta confirmed that the club are still working extremely hard to try and keep Balogun at the club and that the parties involved are working to come to an agreement.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on the touchline during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. (Photo by Andy Rain/PA Images via Getty Images)
“You need three parties to make a deal,” said Arteta. “For sure, the club wants to make a deal, the manager wants to make a deal, the player wants to stay and I’m not sure about the agent.”
“I’m not saying he’s stopping, it’s that we need to find an agreement with him. We are negotiating with an agent, with a player that wants to stay at the club and we need to find an agreement.”
“I’m telling you that we are doing everything we can to keep him here and hopefully from the other part they are doing the same and in the same interest, which is the player’s interest, which is to stay at the football club and be successful with us.”
Full quote on Balogun pic.twitter.com/gQRdwlyy0g
— James Benge (@jamesbenge) January 7, 2021
It will be interesting to see how Arteta’s comments regarding the forward’s agent will affect any possible agreement in the near future.
Balogun’s competition
Balogun’s agent is also the representative of Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah whose own deal at the club ends after the completion of the next season. The future of both players is intertwined and will certainly affect Balogun’s decision regarding his future.
Should Arsenal choose to keep Nketiah, this would prevent the path for Balogun from becoming clearer and he would be inclined to move on in search of regular senior game time.
Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal during the Carabao Cup match between Leicester City and Arsenal at the King Power Stadium, Leicester, England on 23rd September 2020. (Photo by Leila Coker/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
There is also the issue of Alexandre Lacazette. The forward has a contract which also expires the same as Nketiah and as the recent upturn in the Frenchman’s form has suggested that a new contract could possibly be given to the 29-year-old.
If that is the case, a senior spot in the number 9 position becomes even more difficult for Balogun to achieve. There is also competition from within the youth setup with Tyreese John-Jules currently on loan with Doncaster having a good season and the young Swedish forward Nikolaj Moller impressing with the under 23s.
The promotion of young players such as Emile Smith-Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli along with the consistent success of Bukayo Saka suggests that there is a golden era of Arsenal players coming through which includes Balogun. It is clear the young forward wants more game time and there is an opportunity in the upcoming FA Cup against Newcastle to give him that.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 29: Emile Smith Rowe of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal at American Express Community Stadium on December 29, 2020 in Brighton, England.The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Coming on as a substitute against Manchester City in the League Cup quarter-final was his first taste of playing against a top Premier League side. The Gunners will be hopeful further opportunities can convince him and his agents that Arsenal is the right place to stay.
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This article was edited by Josh Barker.
Football Live streaming: Featured matches on January 25, 2020
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Southampton vs Arsenal odds: result, both teams to score, correct score & goalscorers
| Southampton vs Arsenal Result/Both teams score | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Southampton | 5/1 | 9/2 |
| Arsenal | 7/2 | 3/1 |
| Draw | 10/3 | 9/1 |
| Southampton vs Arsenal Goalscorers | First | Last | Anytime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danny Ings | 7/4 | 7/4 | 6/5 |
| Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | 7/4 | 7/4 | 6/5 |
| Alexandre Lacazette | 21/10 | 21/10 | 5/4 |
| Eddie Nketiah | 9/4 | 9/4 | 7/5 |
| Folarin Balogun | 3/1 | 3/1 | 2/1 |
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| 11 | Arsenal FC | 19 | 4 | 27 |
| 12 | Leeds United | 18 | -4 | 23 |
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| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 19 | -8 | 22 |
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| 18 | Fulham FC | 18 | -12 | 12 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 19 | -28 | 11 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 19 | -22 | 5 |
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|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 13 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 12 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 12 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 11 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 11 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 11 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 10 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 8 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 8 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 7 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 7 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 7 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 7 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 6 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 6 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 6 |
| Abraham, Tammy | Chelsea FC | 6 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 5 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 5 |
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| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 6 |
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 5 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 5 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 6 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Reid, Bobby | Fulham FC | 0 | 5 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Romeu, Oriol | Southampton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Dunk, Lewis | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 4 |
| Phillips, Kalvin | Leeds United | 0 | 5 |
| Cash, Matty | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 5 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 4 |
| Kante, N`Golo | Chelsea FC | 0 | 5 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 4 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 0 | 4 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 4 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 4 |
| Tielemans, Youri | Leicester City FC | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 11 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 8 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 6 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 5 |
| Robertson, Andrew | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 5 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 4 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 4 |
| Adams, Che | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Harrison, Jack | Leeds United | 4 |
| Chilwell, Benjamin | Chelsea FC | 4 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa FC | 4 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 4 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 3 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 3 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 3 |
