FLO BALOGUN is determined to show Arsenal that he is no flash in the pan after taking French football by storm.
The 21-year-old striker is currently challenging Kylian Mbappe for Ligue 1’s Golden Boot after joining unfancied Reims on loan for the season.
And it was his failure to get a minute of action during the Gunners’ summer tour to the USA which convinced the ambitious England Under-21 international to prove himself on the other side of the Channel.
Only PSG superstar Mbappe and Lille’s Canadian World Cup star Jonathan David have currently scored more than Balogun’s 17 goals in the French league this season.
He says: “No-one would have expected this when I first came to Reims, but to be in this position now is amazing and I need to continue it.
“The more you achieve certain things, the more questions you face. Is it something I can do regularly or is it a fluke?
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“So I’m pretty focused and determined to show people that this is not a blip and that scoring goals is something I can do consistently.
“A lot of people might forget that I’m still an Arsenal player but it’s still one of my dreams to play in their first team.
“Last summer I went on tour with the Arsenal first team to America and I didn’t get any playing time out there, so I was a bit frustrated.
“But I had to be realistic so I spoke with Mikel Arteta and he gave me a few options. Together we decided it would be best for me to come to France.
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“At the time I thought I was just another loan player coming to Reims to do a job, but after the reaction to my arrival I knew that it was quite a big deal.
“That’s when I realised there was going to be more expectation of me than of other players, which is something I’ve had to adapt to and relish.
“I knew I was joining a team who would be fighting to stay up and that every game was going to be tough, which would be a good challenge for my development.
“But I also knew that Ligue 1 is one of the top five leagues in Europe and I had a lot of belief in myself.”
Balogun has flourished under the guidance of Reims’ Belgian-English coach Will Still, who says: “From his first game with us he showed all the qualities he’s got.
“He’s a quiet kid but when he does speak up he’s got a brain and his banter is pretty good.
“If he can go on and have a top career in the game we’re just doing our job in helping him become as good as he can be.
“He’s a good kid and a good person and I’ll definitely be following him.”
Reims have made it clear that they would love to sign the New York-born goalscorer on a permanent basis but know they will not be able to afford the asking price for a player whose value has rocketed on the back of this season’s exploits.
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Now Arsenal must decide whether to sell him in the summer or bring him back to the Emirates to challenge Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard for a starting place next season.
And with Still being mentioned as a potential replacement for David Moyes at West Ham, there is even the possibility of a £30million move across London for Balogun in the summer.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
