Mikel Arteta says the club have a very clean plan when it comes to young striker Flo Balogun, and has urged patience as he builds his career.
The 20 year old signed a new contract with Arsenal this year, after much speculation that he might go elsewhere, but he hasn’t featured a great deal since. The lack of Europa League has played a part, but even last night Eddie Nketiah was preferred up front, scoring the Gunners second goal in the 2-0 win over Leeds in the Carabao Cup.
The manager was asked about Balogun afterwards, and whether or not a loan move in January was on the cards.
“With Flo we have a really clear project,” said Arteta.
“The steps that he’s making, they are the right steps. Don’t forget he is really young, he hasn’t played almost any professional football, and you need to go through every phase – and don’t try to jump phases when you are not ready to do so.
“Again I’m really happy with him, he’s making the right progress and in December we will see where we are and what’s the best for him as well.”
Balogun did start the first Premier League game of the season against Brentford, and on a difficult night for the team in general, he looked like a young player who could use a loan spell to make that next step when it comes to playing senior football week in, week out.
We can see that he’s got it sewn up at U23 level, but to make progress, chances are he’ll spend the second half of the campaign elsewhere.
Kid needs tp play (against adults).
I’m all for a clean plan…
Looking very similar to the Saliba ‘project’ from the first half of last season. A bit of a waste really. Balogun needs a loan.
Saliba loan spree would do him and us a lot of good in the long run, so would a loan for Balogun.
Saliba is highly rated in France and I think he will become a better player than White if he’s not already. Hopefully he sees his future here. I don’t think there can be any doubt he’s ready now after seeing his performances with Marseille. Without the benefit of European football in helping give youngsters game time, Balogun won’t play much this season. He’s behind Laca & Nketiah who will be likely on their way at seasons end and does not look ready. Who knows that the thinking was at the start of the season but a loan looks the obvious… Read more »
Have a feeling Eddie’s going to stay. The bridges might have been burnt with saliba, but if there’s one thing Mikel can do it’s talk, maybe he can talk him in to an contract extension.
Not a coach myself…but do Arsenal want to make sure some habits are ingrained into the playing style of players before they go on loan and then when they get a loan push on having the education behind them that enables them to profit from their loan but still be useful to Arsenal when they come back
I’m not a coach either but I guess there would be that at U23 level to a degree and also trying to get a good fit to the playing style or philosophy or manager of the loan club to ours like they tried with Azeez at Portsmouth. ESR played well previously for Portsmouth’s manager while he was manager at Huddersfield.
He should be in Germany with a lower team getting playing time, not with the U23s
Weird that Nketiah was picked ahead of him yesterday and stranger still that Flo wasn’t subbed on when we got 2-0 ahead. We saw against Brentford that he really isn’t ready for EPL action but a January loan to the Championship or French/Germany would seem ideal for his progress.
We had a sub left to use too
It’s possible that because he’s not ready, they’re protecting him by choosing carefully when he plays, which is to no one’s detriment in my opinion. I guess it’s tricky at the moment, since we’re still just coming out of the awful spell from the first 3 games and getting our footing (still bang middle of the table), there are considerations like who is ready to come on as a sub and sure things up (even in a cup game at 2-0), and if things go south, whose development or progress will it impact or not. I suspect that’s why Gabi… Read more »
No doubting he’s a talent & credit to our youth coaching for getting him to this point Now Flo needs to prove to the wider football word & to himself that he is ready to become a big player for us He’s got the talent but now needs to take his belief to the next stage bang his chest & say “look at me told you I was good” To have others away from Arsenal recognise that and for Flo to hear it from others will be a big step ! Has to be the right club with the right… Read more »
I see a future of Martinelli playing the Auba role, with Balogun, just behind, in the Laca role in a 4-4-2
I hope it happens and we are happy by it. We all just want to be happy.
A clear secret project for some reason
He pretty much confirmed a January loan
Although, he should have been loaned out in August
Oh well, better late than never
Might be thinking he could use him in early part of January with auba and pepe gone. Loan him out when they get back.
Would have seen him in mickey mouse cup but we have underachieved and are out of europe such that it has now become elevated in priority at expense of some of the younger players. Such has been the shift of expectation/schadenfruede where Top four and CL was once not good enough now a small domestic cup is all important. Also wanted to see Salah Edinne MHand whom Ive heard good things and Tyrecce John Jules but he’s on loan at Blackpool. Hope he develops there along with Reiss Nelson at Feyenoord. Balogun hope he gets a good loan. Loan out… Read more »
Not really sure where this dismissive attitude to the League Cup comes from, for domestic fans a day out at a Wembley final is always a very welcome event, I certainly enjoyed Charlie Nicholas stuffing Liverpool and Merson’s banana shot vs Sheff Weds and it also provides entry in Europe.
For a competition that seemingly doesn’t matter I can tell you that it certainly hurt after we got smashed by Man City and humiliated by Birmingham.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens next season when it’s likely we’ll have no Lacca or Nketiah. Will Balogun be ready for such a huge step up? Martinelli? Or will we dip into the market for a striker?