21-year-old Arsenal youngster wants more game-time, he thinks he’s ready to be first choice

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal youngster Folarin Balogun now reportedly thinks he’s ready to be a first-choice forward next season.

That’s according to The Athletic, who provide more details on some of Arsenal’s most exciting youngsters.

Arsenal face a summer of decisions over some of their best young players.

The first team’s success this season has given Mikel Arteta some important questions to answer.

The Gunners have long been a club ready to give players from their prestigious academy an opportunity.

Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe are two recent examples, with Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson also regularly featuring.

However, Arsenal’s brilliant campaign has meant Arteta has had limited opportunities to call on academy prospects.

Ethan Nwaneri made a brief cameo against Brentford to become the Premier League’s youngest-ever player.

The 15-year-old hasn’t featured for the first team ever since.

One player who chose to leave Arsenal and go out on loan this season was Folarin Balogun.

His spell at Stade Reims has been an unmitigated success, and now he’s keen to kick on.

That could be a problem for Arsenal, who might have a difficult decision to make.

Arsenal youngster Balogun wants to be first choice next season

The report from The Athletic states that, ‘Folarin Balogun, who has very much played his way into the spotlight by scoring 18 goals in France’s top flight on loan at Reims and now feels ready to take on the mantle of being a club’s first-choice striker.’

It’s important to note the report doesn’t suggest that Balogun necessarily wants to be Arsenal’s first choice next season.

He likely recognises that’s going to be very unlikely with Gabriel Jesus playing so well.

However, he may now need to leave the club to make this happen, and he’s not keen on another loan move.

Another young player that looks set to leave this summer is Charlie Patino.

Although his contract was extended this season, he doesn’t see an immediate future at the club.

Arsenal need to find a way to balance making their first-team squad stronger each season and keeping their most talented academy graduates.

The last thing Gunners fans will want to see is the likes of Balogun and Patino coming back to haunt them in the future.