Renowned USA striker, Folarin Balogun, recently revealed that his departure from Arsenal was entirely beyond his control.
Balogun, who made a switch to Monaco last summer in a lucrative deal worth up to €40 million, has been in exceptional form since his return to Ligue 1. In his first five games, he has already found the back of the net three times, despite the rare penalty misses against Nice. His outstanding performances have propelled his team to the top of the league table.
While speaking with ESPN, Balogun opened up about his conversation with Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, upon his return from his loan spell with Reims.
He said, “There wasn’t much said. When I returned, Arteta just congratulated me and encouraged me to keep up the good work. During preseason, it was mainly about assessing whether I fit into his plans and if I would continue to feature in games.”
He continued, “Arteta assured me that he would do his best to involve me, but ultimately, the final decisions were being made by the higher-ups who were considering what was in my best interest. So, while our conversations were positive, it ultimately came down to the club’s intentions.”