Arsenal-owned goal machine is trying to become Gunners’ very own Kylian Mbappe

Follow us on Google Discover

Arsenal have high hopes for Folarin Balogun and he may just become the Gunners’ own Kylian Mbappe yet.

The Gunners will have a real battle for striking roles between now and the summer.

Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah will all be chasing playing time under Mikel Arteta.

That’s an embarrassment of riches really, but Arsenal will have another striker to add into the mix soon enough.

Folarin Balogun is out on loan at French side Reims this season after Arteta decided he needed more first-team experience.

The 21-year-old has been sensational, smashing 17 goals in 27 Ligue 1 games to take French football by storm.

Balogun will be back in the Arsenal squad this summer and whilst clubs will want to buy him, the Gunners may look for him to emerge into the first team.

Folarin Balogun is watching Kylian Mbappe clips

Balogun is already attracting enough excitement but his latest comments will only heighten the hype.

Balogun has spoken to the official Ligue 1 website about his season and his inspirations.

The striker – who is deciding on whether to play for England, Nigeria or the USA on the international stage – noted that he loved watching Ronaldo.

Balogun then noted that he has been watching a lot of Kylian Mbappe of late, branding him ‘phenomenal’.

The Arsenal talent added that he is trying to replicate Mbappe’s efficiency in front of goal, potentially becoming Arsenal’s very own Mbappe down the line.

“I looked at Ronaldo, the Brazilian one, a lot of times on YouTube. And then, a more recent example, [Kylian] Mbappé at PSG,” said Balogun. “I was only watching the World Cup with everyone else a few weeks ago. And I mean, what he has done, for someone so young, is phenomenal. He’s already won it. I looked at his game, the efficiency as well, and I try to replicate it in mine,” he added.

That’s a bold aim for Balogun but he has the pace and the finishing ability to become that kind of player.

Mbappe looks set to become the top player in the world in the coming years and it’s a tough ask for Balogun to reach that level.

Yet if Balogun can strike fear into Premier League defences, he could end up becoming the next best thing for Arsenal.