Arsenal: 3 loan transfers that need to happen this summer

3. Folarin Balogun

Age: 19
Contract expiry: 2025
Possible loan destinations: Championship or League One

This is one dependent on movement elsewhere. As impressive as Eddie Nketiah has been during pre-season, his performances are merely helping Arsenal raise their asking price. There won’t be regular minutes for the Hale Ender apart from the occasional cup outing if he stays, thus a permanent move elsewhere is inevitable.

Factor in him turning down a new deal and Arsenal simply have to sell.

However, Nketiah going doesn’t open things up for Folarin Balogun. The only way it makes sense for him to stay on next season is if Alexandre Lacazette is sold.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be the starting centre-forward in the Premier League, with the trust placed in him by Arteta even during his dry spells evidence of that. Behind him is Lacazette and having a third choice No. 9 who like Azeez will only get cup minutes at best won’t do much for his development.

Now officially a senior squad member, Balogun has no fears over his role in the squad. He just need to play. Let him have a full season of fun, hitting the back of the net elsewhere and we can all bask in that glory.

A Championship side would be ideal but there are always concerns attached given how high the stakes are in that competition. Managers may fall back on their trusted senior options and, as seen with Nketiah at Leeds, loanees can suffer as a result.

Even if just six months, let Flo go out somewhere he can play regularly. Let him demonstrate his ability on a weekly basis outside of Under-23 football. Even at just 19 years old, he’s a physically imposing striker who needs to play men, not boys.

He wouldn’t be short of any suitors.