Report: Arsenal have high hopes for ‘incredible’ prospect and Mikel Arteta has refused to sell him this summer

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Arsenal retain high hopes for promising striker Folarin Balogun and do not want to sell him to Reims this summer.

The Express report that Balogun is close to joining the French Ligue 1 outfit on a season-long loan.

But there is no option to buy the striker in that deal, as Gunners staff still think he can make the grade at the Emirates Stadium.

Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah look to be the first and second choice strikers at Arsenal for the season ahead, and Balogun looks set to go in search of gametime.

Arsenal have high hopes for Balogun

The report says there was a breakthrough in negotiations over the deal to take Balogun to France during the weekend.

William Saliba’s career blossomed when loaned back to France with Marseille, and he returns to Arsenal as a full French international.

Balogun will be aiming to play regularly, and score as many goals as he can to show Mikel Arteta he is someone who can be relied upon.

He could have hung around for crumbs of gametime in the Europa League, but wants to play regular football every week from the looks of it.

Balogun, whose progression has been labelled as ‘incredible‘ by Mikel Arteta, probably does need another loan spell now.

Arteta said in March he should have loaned out Balogun earlier than he did, and his spell with Middlesbrough earlier this year did not go to plan.

He will hope for better this time around and it seems the long term plan is still for him to make the grade at Arsenal, and this loan is an important part of his progression.