Former Arsenal forward, Folarin Balogun stated that his transfer move to Monaco was completed behind Mikel Arteta’s back because that’s what “people higher up” wanted to do.
The 22-year-old also indicated that he had a fruitful conversation with the Spaniard about his status at the club.
Balogun scored 21 goals for Will Still’s team in Ligue 1 during his successful season as a loanee at Reims.
Some Arsenal supporters were calling for the USMNT international to be given a first-team opportunity in North London due to his performance in France.
But in August, he sealed a £34 million move to Monaco. Arsenal also included a 17.5 percent sell-on option in the transaction.
Balogun helped his new team go up to the top of the standings heading into the international break despite missing two penalties in a single game.
With 20 points from eight Premier League games, his former employers are also enjoying great success. The 22-year-old doesn’t seem to hold Arteta responsible for his departure.
“He [Arteta] didn’t really say much [after Balogun returned from Reims], he just said that when I came back he just said well done, and he encouraged me to keep going,” Balogun told ESPN as reported by The Mirror.
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“Then me coming back in a preseason, it was just more about me seeing whether I fit into his plans and seeing if I can continue to play some games.
“He said that he would try to get me involved as best as he could, but of course he also told me that the people higher up were making decisions on me and seeing what would be best for me.”
So the conversations between me and him were good, but it was more about the club, what they wanted to do.
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