Folarin Balogun: Arsenal striker likely to leave club for free in summer

Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun is increasingly likely to see out the remaining six months of his contract and leave for free in the summer.

The 19-year-old is allowed to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club this month and the player and his representatives are in talks with a number of clubs.

As it stands, Balogun is unlikely to go out on loan this month amid interest from a number of clubs in the Championship.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says the club are doing all they can to keep him. Arteta claims Balogun wants to stay but questions whether his agent wants the same.

He said at his news conference on Thursday morning: “The club wants to make a deal, the manager wants to make a deal, the player wants to stay and I’m not sure about the agent.

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“We are negotiating with an agent, with a player that wants to stay at the club and we need to find an agreement.

“I’m telling you that we are doing everything we can to keep him here and hopefully from the other part they are doing the same and in the same interest, which is the player’s interest which is to stay at the football club and be successful with us.”

Arteta confirmed Balogun is available for Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round tie with Newcastle on Saturday evening.

He has scored two goals in four Europa League appearances from the bench this season and was a 77th-minute substitute in Arsenal’s 4-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City last month.

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