"I was one of the worst players" – Arsenal man admits he was 'shocked' by transformation after fearing Gunners would let him go

Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who is currently on a season-long loan at Reims, has revealed that he had to undergo a transformation to maintain his spot in the Gunners' academy.

Balogun, 21, has been one of the standout talents for the north London outfit in the past couple of years. After joining the club's academy in 2008, the England U21 international steadily rose through the ranks and made his senior team debut in October 2020.

A mobile striker known for his finishing and positioning, the New York-born player secured a temporary move to Reims earlier this summer. He has been impressive during his loan spell in the ongoing season, registering eight goals and two assists in 15 Ligue 1 matches.

During a recent interview with the Ligue 1 website, Balogun was asked whether he ever feared for his future at his boyhood club. He replied:

"Yes. From the age of 16, Arsenal offers a scholarship to some of their players. The season before I turned 16, I was one of the worst players in my team. I wasn't playing very well. At the end of the season, I had a discussion with the coaches and it wasn't very positive."

Balogun, who has scored two goals in 10 appearances for Arsenal so far, admitted that he retained his place at Hale End due to his most prolific season in front of goal. He added:

"They told me that I was not at the level they expected. I thought they weren't going to keep me. It made me think, but I told myself I only had two options: go hard or go home. And, at 16, I had my best season ever. I was the top scorer in the team, I must have scored 40 goals. Even I was shocked at the transformation."

Balogun stated that he learned the tricks of his trade from Gunners legend Thierry Henry during his time at the academy. He concluded:

"By playing up front, I learned the basics of the position. And I had a lot of excellent role models in front of me. For a few weeks, Thierry Henry even came to coach at the academy.

"I was shocked by how good he was! And a little later, in the first team, I was training with Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in particular. They gave me a lot of advice."

Arsenal in race to add La Liga attacker to their ranks in winter transfer window

As per Fichajes, Arsenal are interested in roping in Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze to bolster their offensive ranks in January. Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa and Everton are also in the race for the £44 million-rated player, who has a contract with the La Liga outfit until June 2024.

Chukwueze, 23, has been a crucial member of Villarreal's squad for the past four seasons. Since making his debut for his boyhood club, he has registered 29 goals and 26 assists in 178 overall games.

A pacy dribbler blessed with flair and directness, the Nigerian has been linked with Arsenal for several years. The Gunners missed out on the chance to sign him for just £4 million in 2017, as per The Sun.

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