Should Arsenal Allow Folarin Balogun Leave?

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This may not be the conversation on the front burner for most Arsenal fans, if at all any. Everywhere on social media, all I see is "announce Rice, Timber". And the Arsenal admin on Twitter yesterday almost posted a cryptic message starting with letter T with many thinking they were going to spell Timber with the first letter of subsequent posts. Sadly, it wasn't to be.

I understand Arsenal have done quite well in this window and even though some of those players have not been announced (like Declan Rice and Jurien Timber), it's only a matter of when, not if. I am however, concerned that Arsenal needs to still prioritise the striker role. This, perhaps, Arteta may not see as priority.

We saw on many occasions last season, especially after Gabriel Jesus and later Eddie Nketiah got injured, where he played a liquid forward three that allowed Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and anyone partnering in the front three to move into the false 9 role. It may be that Arteta is planning to play more of this.

Even with Gabriel Jesus, we do not have that "striker" presence as he also likes to drift wide and drop deep to get involved in play. Also, he has not been prolific as you'd want a striker to be, but the good thing is, we're able to source goals from different parts of the field. Nonetheless, I still think we should not because of that think the striker role is less important.

As it stands, Nketiah is the only recognised striker we have in the team along with Jesus, if he stays in the middle. So, what happens when these two are unavailable like we saw in the latter stages of last season? Yes, I know we fared well, but we'd be playing more games this season and we'd need as much depth as we can get.

I've seen news making the rounds about Arsenal being ready to allow Folarin Balogun leave and I think that may be a pretty too early decision to make. This is a player who has just gone to Ligue 1 to find rhythm, scoring 21 league goals, outscoring the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar, only bettered by three players; Mbappe, Lacezette and Jonathan David, playing for a Reims side.

I believe he should be given a shot at the Arsenal first team just like we kept trust with Nketiah. In fact, prior to last season, I was a proponent of selling Nketiah (whom I feel has overstayed without fulfilling the potential we expected) and promoting Balogun to that role. The only lapse I saw in Balogun during the short stint he had with the first team prior to his loan move was his physicality. He has shown over the years, from his time at the academy, with the U23s and even in his short spell with the first team that he's technically gifted and can score goals. So, shipping him off now when I feel we need him in the squad the most is quite absurd, just like allowing Xhaka, who was one of our best players last season leave.

The only challenge I foresee may be that Balogun would not be willing to stay if he's not guaranteed a regular playing time, not necessarily a spot in the starting 11 as he'd also know that would be very difficult, which is understandable for a striker who has just returned from a 21-goal loan spell. But, he could also boast of having outscored all our forward players with a less talented side. Coupled with the arrival of Kai Havertz, who can also play in that position, it becomes increasingly difficult for Arteta to decide, but not impossible. This might be a deal breaker for him and perhaps, Arsenal may then be forced to sell him.

Arsenal legend, Ray Parlour has also voiced that Flo can give Arteta a different option in the striking role and with the tour of the US, Balogun's new home on the offing, I hope he can make a case for himself and make it impossible for Arsenal to let him go because, it'd be painful if we allow him go and then splash the cash on an older and more expensive replacement.

That said, if at all he's to be sold, I doubt if the 35 million pounds price tag I've been seeing matches his quality. He's 22 and with much sell-on value. I think he shouldn't sell for below 50 million pounds. But if I were to make the decisions, I'd create a space for him in the team.