Folarin Balogun is likely to leave Arsenal on loan in January, with the Athletic reporting that the England youth international has been granted permission to depart the Emirates Stadium in 2022.
The striker has dominated at youth level for some time, and to many Arsenal fans, it is still a surprise that Balogun wasn’t allowed to leave on loan in the summer transfer window, with three players clearly above the 20-year-old in the pecking order.
Indeed, some supporters could feel that the first half of the season has been a waste for the striker. However, with Balogun now set to leave on loan, we explore three clubs that should sign the Arsenal attacker in January.
A German adventure with Augsburg
A club that will be familiar to some Arsenal fans, Augsburg presents a unique opportunity for Balogun to learn the ropes of top-level football whilst also bringing qualities that the Bundesliga side are desperately lacking.
The Bavarian club were close to signing Eddie Nketiah on loan in 2019. And now two years later, Augsburg could do with the services of a striker hungry to make an impression at senior level, with the Fuggerstadter one of the lowest-scoring teams in the German top-flight.
With Reece Oxford already on their books, Balogun will be with a familiar face in Augsburg. And given the club’s desperate need for goals and a natural finisher up-front, the Arsenal youngster could be the man to push the Swabia-based side up the Bundesliga table and away from danger.
School of hard knocks with Dundee United
Scotland might not be the first country fans would think when suggesting where Balogun should go out on loan too, but the Scottish Premiership could provide the Arsenal talent with the perfect environment to catch up on missing first-team football. And Dundee United could be the side to get the attacker up to speed.
Currently fourth in the table, the Terrors are enjoying an impressive season under Tam Courts. However, just like Augsburg, goals remain an issue for United, with the side scoring just 15 in 17 SPL matches.
With summer signing Marc McNulty out with a hamstring injury, Balogun could be the perfect player to come in and fill in at striker until the end of the season, with the Arsenal attacker also learning the ropes of first-team football in a division where youngsters have to grow up fast.
Developing under one of the best with Nottingham Forest
As of writing, the Championship seems to be the most likely destination for Balogun heading into the January transfer window. And one side who could bring the best out of the Arsenal forward is Nottingham Forest, managed by former England youth manager Steve Cooper.
The former Swansea City boss excelled with the Welsh side in his two seasons with the club, namely due to his ability to recruit young talents from the Premier League and to bring the best out of them for Championship football, with Conor Gallagher, Rhian Brewster and Marc Guehi all thriving under Cooper.
And for Balogun, the Forest boss could work his magic again on the Arsenal striker. Forest will no doubt be challenging for a playoff spot in the New Year, and the January window could provide the historic Championship club to sign the Arsenal talent on loan, with the youngster ready to compete in one of Europe’s most hectic divisions.
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