26 March 2023 , 10:53
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Folarin Balogun has refused to rule out the prospect of remaining in Ligue 1 beyond the end of the season after being quizzed about his long-term future.
The Arsenal striker has flourished on loan with the French outfit this term and has outscored the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar after plundering 17 league goals in 27 games for Reims.
Balogun's form in France has not gone unnoticed - both at the Emirates and elsewhere. It remains to be seen if Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has designs on integrating the Hale End graduate into his first-team plans next term after acquiring Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard this season. And with Eddie Nketiah also in the mix, Balogun would need to stave off plenty of competition to nail down a first-team spot in north London.
The 21-year-old will have no shortage of suitors, though, if he can maintain his blistering form for the remainder of the season and decides to look elsewhere. And although Balogun has previously indicated that he was planning on returning to Arsenal, he has now admitted that there is "no door that’s closed" when it comes to his future.
Speaking to Ligue 1’s website, Balogun said: "Yeah I mean, contractually I have to go back. Because the loan was only for one year so that was always the agreement.
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"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. It just depends on the conversations we have between me and the club in the summer, and we’ll see what happens."
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Balogun has made a big impression in Ligue 1 with Reims this seasonWhen he was asked about a return to France specifically, Balogun added: "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."
While Balogun's latest comments seem to indicate that he is open-minded over his future, the striker had previously implied that he was planning to return to Arsenal and challenge for a first-team role.
Speaking back in October, the England Under-21 international told L'Equipe: "Arsenal is my family. For me, the club represents brotherhood and unity. There, I learned always to push my limits. I remember from training the permanent desire to progress on a technical level."
He added: "I think by the time I go back I’ll be in a better place to compete than I was before I left. I realised there were certain things I would struggle with, but I think that’s a good thing. It helps you to manage stuff you’re uncomfortable with which is important."