While the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Victor Osimhen have stolen the limelight with their insane goal-scoring tally this season, another young talent, namely Folarin Balogun, is enjoying a spectacular year out on loan at Stade de Reims in Ligue 1.

Although the story of the young Arsenal striker isn’t straightforward, it’s an inspiring one. After a series of complex spells in the Premier League, Premier League 2, and the Championship in the 2021/22 season, here’s how Mikel Arteta’s managerial genius allowed Balogun to find his rhythm and become one of Gunner’s star prospects.

The Arrival of Gabriel Jesus

Arsenal allowed the 21-year-old striker to temporarily leave North London for the 2022/23 season following a £45 million deal that brought Gabriel Jesus to the Emirates from Manchester City in the summer.

This transfer can be considered the driving force of Balogun’s success in Ligue 1. Gabriel Jesus’ arrival boosted Arteta’s attacking reinforcements, providing him with the sense of security necessary to part ways with Folarin and paving the path for his development.

Things took a scary turn for Arteta’s Gunners when Jesus’s injury while on international duty with Brazil during the World Cup in Qatar put Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge at risk.

However, Eddie Nketiah has stepped up during the Brazilian’s absence and proved to be a suitable backup option for Jesus, netting six goals in seven appearances across all competitions since the Premier League resumed on boxing day.

Balogun’s Stellar Numbers

While Arsenal continues their impressive title charge, their star boy, Folarin Balogun, is making a name for himself in France by adding to his stellar goal tally week in and week out.

With 15 goals in 25 appearances, the 21-year-old sits fourth in the list of top league goal scorers in Ligue 1, behind only Kylian Mbappe, who’s boasting a whopping 18 goals, Jonathan David and Wissam Ben Yedder. After scoring a brilliant hat-trick against Lorient, he now has more league goals than Neymar (13) and Lionel Messi (13) as well.

On top of that, the Hale End academy graduate was responsible for helping Reims secure a draw against PSG after getting played through on goal in the 96th minute, dribbling the ball past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, and slotting it into the vacant net to earn a late point in the French capital.

Reims manager, Will Still, was brimming with praise for Balogun after his late equalizer and said: “He is a super complete striker, he is able to play with his back to goal, in-depth, it is technically very clean. He scores, he is decisive.”

Arsenal’s Future Center-Forward

Before worrying about whether Balogun can replicate his Ligue 1 form in the Premier League, it’s noteworthy that he isn’t the first Gunner to thrive during a loan spell in the French league.

He is following a path similar to William Saliba, with the French defender currently making a massive impact on Arsenal’s backline after a fruitful loan spell in Ligue 1. During his time at Marseille last season, Saliba received the Young Player of the Year award and is slowly becoming one of the best defenders in the Premier League.

As a result, Mikel Arteta is not only impressed with Balogun’s development but is also looking forward to working with him in the upcoming seasons. It’s no secret that the 21-year-old is eager to return to the Emirates Stadium and fight for a first-team spot.

The return of Folarin Balogun to England means Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah will face stiff competition for the starting center-forward role. Consequently, such a homecoming will be a relief for Arteta and Edu, as they’ll be able to prioritize investment in the midfield, with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and West Ham’s Declan Rice being their top targets.

Balogun is eligible to play for three countries including the United States, England and Nigeria and enthusiasm among American fans is already sky-high with the hope that he’ll choose to play for them. However, if Nigeria comes calling, those fans might be left disappointed.