Report: Arsenal looking to extend contracts of Emile Smith-Rowe and Folarin Balogun

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According to a new report from the Daily Mail, Arsenal remain determined to keep hold of both Folarin Balogun and Emile Smith-Rowe as they look to the future.

The Mail’s report, which goes into detail about the club’s finances and off-field plans, states that the idea is for the Gunners to tie down their best young players to long-term deals.

Two of those players mentioned in the report are Folarin Balogun and Emile Smith-Rowe. Both players, 19 and 20 respectively, are highly-rated at The Emirates, although it is Smith-Rowe who has been given his first-team chance.

Balogun’s contract is up this summer with little sign of progress on a new deal as yet. Smith-Rowe, meanwhile, has two years left to run on his contract but Arsenal will be well aware how time soon passes.

Both players are seen as key to the future of Arsenal. But the pair have also attracted admiring glances, with the Mail confirming interest from Germany in Balogun.

TBR View: Arsenal have got to sort this out and it’s a smart strategy

Arsenal shouldn’t be in this situation of losing Balogun for nothing. Given how highly they are supposed to rate him, it’s a massive surprise to see them allow him to get so close to leaving.

In terms of Smith-Rowe, they’ll have more confidence given his stature in the first-team already.

Both players are set for bright futures though. It’s good that Arsenal seem to recognise they need to sort issues like this out and hopefully, for Gunners fans anyway, they won’t be at risk of losing any of their better youngsters in the next few windows.