Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun commits to the United States

Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun announced on Tuesday that he’s committing to the United States.

The 22-year-old has scored 19 goals and assisted two this season on loan at Reims and has now addressed his international future with his club future also set to be addressed this summer. Balogun was eligible to play for England, Nigeria, and the United States; ultimately deciding to play for the country he was born in.

Balogun has the potential to become one of the faces of the USMNT ahead of the US hosting the 2026 World Cup – which he surely must’ve taken into consideration. It’s also the path of least resistance with both England and Nigeria having a plethora of options at his position.

What could this mean for his Arsenal future?

A huge summer beckons for Balogun. He’ll have two years left on his Arsenal contract by the time he returns and, according to reports, he doesn’t want to extend his deal unless he has a future at the club.

With Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah not going anywhere anytime soon, leaving would likely be the best move for Balogun’s career. Arsenal will be able to get a nice fee for him after his amazing season and he’ll have many suitors. The blueprint for this deal should be Chelsea’s sale of Tammy Abraham to Roma. He was sold to Italy for €41m with a buyback clause.

With, as James Benge reports; RB Leipzig, Marseille, West Ham, Wolves, Brentford, AC Milan, and even Napoli all potentially interested in the now-American striker, Arsenal could surely get a deal done this summer.

He’s 22 with a big future. As much as it would be disappointing to lose him at Arsenal, moving could be the best option, hopefully with a buyback clause for the club. For supporters of the USMNT, meanwhile, Balogun’s commitment is huge ahead of the home World Cup in 2026.