In a recent report, the Daily Mirror mentioned that West Ham United are keeping tabs on Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun. It is understood that Hammers boss David Moyes has watched the English youngster closely this week but could face competition from Middlesborough in pursuit of him.
Balogun’s Excellent Numbers In English Football This Season
The talented whizkid has caught the eye with some excellent performances for the Gunners’ Under-23 team in the Premier League 2, where he has banged in ten goals and grabbed two assists in eight matches so far.
His impressive form at the youth level has not gone unnoticed as Mikel Arteta decided to play him in three senior matches for Arsenal this season in all competitions. However, Balogun needs to leave the Gunners soon either on loan or permanently if he wants to play more first-team football. At the moment, the English prospect has fallen behind Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Eddie Nketiah in Arteta’s pecking order which could put his long-term future at the Emirates Stadium in doubt.
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What Will Balogun Add To West Ham United’s Team?
Balogun is a quick and agile forward who can make some intelligent runs with the ball in the final third. He can trouble his marker when left isolated in a 1v1 situation and is quite a composed presence in front of the opposition goal. The English starlet is currently playing at a high level in youth football, so it makes sense for him to seek a move elsewhere in search of more first-team starts in the coming seasons. He is primarily a centre-forward but can even fill in as a wide player on either flank if needed.
The Hammers can benefit from adding a young striker of Balogun’s potential as he will serve as a perfect back-up for Michail Antonio in the future. The Arsenal wonderkid has got what it takes to become a real fan favourite at the London Stadium.
Hence, Moyes should think about going all out to sign him either on loan or permanently this January. We can expect Balogun to add some pace and goals to West Ham‘s frontline. More importantly, he will even improve the overall depth of Moyes‘ match-day squad for the long run.
