Mikel Arteta says Folarin Balogun is a ‘unique talent’ who will push the first-team next season

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Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, believes the Gunners are lucky to have a talent like Folarin Balogun in their ranks and believes he can push the first-team.

Balogun has committed his future to Arsenal by penning a new long-term deal with the club. Balogun’s decision puts to bed months of speculation and he’ll be hoping to kick on and show his worth into next season.

Indeed, Balogun could well get the chance to impress in the run-in, given the Gunners’ focus is solely on winning the Europa League right now.

And speaking ahead of this weekend’s game with Fulham, Arteta was full of praise for his young striker.

“He has unique qualities as a striker – his speed and the way he holds the ball. He’s a real goal threat and he works tremendously hard,” the Gunners boss remarked.

“He’s a very, very hungry boy. He wants to do everything. He wants to practice more every single day. He will be pushing anybody in our first team to get his spot and that’s exactly what we want.He’s got the chance; now it’s time for him to prove himself.”

Balogun’s reluctance to sign a new deal is said to have come from his desire to play first-team football. However, it is believed that Mikel Arteta played a key role in selling that to the young striker, who will now wait and see if those promises come to light.

TBR View: Balogun to shine next season for Arsenal?

That will certainly be the hope for the Gunners and Mikel Arteta. They’ll be hoping that Balogun can hit the ground running and get some sort of immediate return on their investment.

Balogun is clearly a player of quality and clearly someone who Mikel Arteta rates highly. Time will tell, then, if he can fulfill that potential and save Arsenal a few bob in the transfer market.