BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - MARCH 25: Folarin Balogun of England shoots during the UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier match between England U21 and Andorra U21 on March 25, 2022 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Ligue 1 side hopeful of deal for Arsenal striker

Jul 30, 2022

Stade de Reims are on Folarin Balogun’s case and hopeful of striking a deal to loan him without an option to buy, according to a report.

Folarin Balogun celebrating a goal with Omari Hutchinson (L) (Photo via Arsenal.com)

Ryan Taylor reports that Stade de Reims are pursuing a loan move for Folarin Balogun. Though there’s no breakthrough in talks yet, they’re on his case and hopeful of a deal.

If the Ligue 1 side do end up signing the Arsenal striker, they aren’t expected to have an option to buy in his loan contract.

Last weekend, L’Equipe reported that Reims were on the hunt for a replacement for Hugo Ekitike, and Balogun was one of the names on their shortlist.

L’Union then claimed that Reims’ recruitment team had accelerated the pace of their pursuit of a loan move for a central striker, with Balogun joining Aleksander Buksa as potential options.

Balogun has found opportunities hard to come by in pre-season.

The striker did score in Arsenal’s opening game, playing 45 minutes against Ipswich Town. But after another 22 minutes in the next game against FC Nurnberg, he hasn’t featured at all in the five games since then.

MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND: Middlesbrough player Folarin Balogun reacts dejectedly during the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Huddersfield Town at Riverside Stadium on April 18, 2022. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) — MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND: Folarin Balogun with Middlesbrough during the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Huddersfield Town at Riverside Stadium on April 18, 2022. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The reality is that Arsenal now have two very good goalscorers in Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah. Jesus has seven goals in his five pre-season games, whilst Nketiah brought his tally to six after his latest goal against Sevilla.

Balogun’s best bet to play regular football this season is to go out on loan, and the chance to play in a top-five league in Ligue 1 would be an enticing one, without a doubt.