Folarin Balogun makes admission over Arsenal future

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Folarin Balogun makes admission over Arsenal future

Folarin Balogun has confessed 'no door is closed' as he prepares to make a decision on his future with Arsenal.

The 21-year-old striker has excelled during his loan spell with Stade Reims in Ligue 1, firing home 17 goals in 27 games, but will return to Arsenal in the summer as the French side do not have an option to make the move permanent.

When he returns to the Emirates, Balogun will have just two years remaining on his Arsenal contract and will rejoin an attacking group that features both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah already.

90min understands that Arsenal currently have no plans to offload Balogun in the summer but are prepared for crunch talks with the England youth international before making a final decision, and Balogun himself has confirmed as much.

"Contractually I have to go back," he said. "Because the loan was only for one year so that was always the agreement.

"But I wouldn't, um, I'm not sure what is going to happen in the future. A lot could happen in football, a lot could change, and it just depends on the conversations we have between me and the club in the summer, and we'll see what happens."

Asked whether his future could be in France, Balogun responded: "Yeah I mean there's no door that's closed.

"Of course I have had a good year here and to a lot of people it makes sense for me to come back here. So yeah I mean I don't know what the future will bring. But definitely I would advise young players to come out here. It's a really, really tough league, a league that will help you to improve. You get to play in crazy atmospheres. If you're ready to take yourself out of your comfort zone, I would advise any young player, I would advise any young player to come here."

Internationally, Balogun has been called up to the England Under-21 setup after missing out on a place in Gareth Southgate's senior side, but the United States have spoken with the striker about switching allegiance.