Arsenal agree transfer move for striker in January window

Arsenal have seen their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Liverpool postponed, but that hasn’t detracted from the waves of ongoing transfer speculation.

Following the big spending events of the summer, Arsenal are expected to focus primarily on outgoings with incomings dictated on who they can shift and what opportunities arise.

Dusan Vlahovic continues to be linked, Bruno Guimarães is someone the club are tracking and there have also been links to Alexander Isak.

But departures are front and centre of the queue and one of those is Folarin Balogun, who has long been tipped for a loan move away from north London to further his development. Not quite ready for senior Premier League football, he is certainly a cut above Under-23 level.

Arsenal agree Folarin Balogun loan transfer move with Middlesbrough to see Hale End striker play remainder of the season in the Championship

As first reported by Ryan Taylor at the Express and since picked up everywhere else, Middlesbrough are set to secure his signature on a six-month loan deal in the coming days.

A plethora of Championship clubs and sides abroad had registered firm interest in signing the 20-year-old this window, but the race has been won by the north east side who’ve got their play-off push back on track since replacing Neil Warnock with Chris Wilder.

The latter’s long-standing interest in Balogun has provided decisive in the deal, as Wilder lodged two failed bids to sign hin permanently back in September 2020 when he was managing Sheffield United.

Some concerns have arisen over Balogun’s potential playing time at the Riverside Stadium with Boro already landed Aaron Connolly on loan from Brighton this window, but there have been promises of regular minutes for the striker who has been with Arsenal since the age of eight.

As for a fit, Wilder likes to line his sides up with a 3-5-2 system which boosts Balogun’s chances, while their top scoring striker this season currently sits on six goals in 20 Championship outings.

Loans to Championship sides are always tough moves for players in the books with Premier League clubs. There is such jeopardy in the league that managers tend to fall back on their more trusted squad members, leaving loanees frozen out. Leeds, for example, paid a seven figure sum to not play Eddie Nketiah.

In regards to this deal, it’s a huge test for Balogun who has enjoyed the comforts of London Colney throughout his career and can finally get a taste of regular senior football against defenders he can’t rinse one-vs-two.

Supporters will do their best to catch Middlesbrough on the television when they can as it will be fascinating to watch the centre-forward tested in such an environment. He’s out of his comfort zone in every which way, and his talent can finally be put to the test.