Arsenal loanee praised for his “great potential” after impressive Serie A debut

Folarin Balogun scores and impresses on debut for Reims

Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun has been praised for his “great potential” after an impressive Serie A debut for Reims. The 21-year-old striker scored and assisted in Reims’ 4-2 win over Lorient on Sunday.

Balogun joined Reims on a season-long loan from Arsenal in the summer and has quickly made an impact in France. He has scored three goals in his first four appearances for the club and has also provided two assists.

Reims manager Oscar Garcia was full of praise for Balogun after his performance against Lorient. “He’s a young player with great potential,” Garcia said. “He’s still learning, but he’s already shown that he can be a valuable asset to our team.”

Balogun’s impressive form has led to calls for him to be given a chance in the Arsenal first team. However, it is more likely that he will spend the rest of the season on loan at Reims in order to continue his development.

Balogun’s Arsenal career

Balogun joined Arsenal’s academy at the age of eight and has progressed through the ranks to become one of the club’s most promising young players. He made his first-team debut in the Europa League in 2020 and has since made a handful of appearances for the Gunners.

Balogun scored his first goal for Arsenal in the Carabao Cup in 2021 and also netted a memorable winner against Molde in the Europa League. However, he has found it difficult to break into the first team on a regular basis.

The loan move to Reims is seen as a chance for Balogun to gain experience and develop his game. He will be hoping to impress enough to earn a place in the Arsenal first team next season.

Balogun’s England career

Balogun has represented England at youth level and was part of the team that won the Under-17 World Cup in 2017. He has also been capped at Under-19 and Under-21 level.

Balogun is still eligible to play for the United States, the country of his birth, but he has expressed his desire to play for England at senior level.

Balogun’s future

Balogun is a highly-rated young player with a bright future ahead of him. He has already shown that he has the potential to be a top-class striker and he will be hoping to continue his development at Reims this season.

If Balogun can continue to impress, he could earn a place in the Arsenal first team next season. He could also be a valuable asset to the England national team in the future.