"It was out of my hands" - 22-goals star hints that he was forced out of the club by Arsenal higher-ups

Former Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun recently gave an honest verdict of his Gunners exit this summer, hinting that it was the club hierarchy's decision to let him go.

Balogun joined the Arsenal academy at the age of eight, rising up the ranks until 2020 when he made his senior debut in the UEFA Europa League against Dundalk.

The 22-year-old was loaned to Championship side Middlesbrough during the 2021-22 season and then Ligue 1 club Reims the following year. He flourished in France, scoring 22 goals in 39 appearances.

Balogun returned to Arsenal this summer in search of first-team football. However, it quickly became apparent that this wasn't a guarantee with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah ahead of him in the pecking order.

The USMNT international was eventually sold to Monaco for €30 million, signing a five-year deal with the French outfit.

The former Arsenal striker opened up about the transfer process with ESPN, saying (via METRO):

"It wasn’t something that made me feel anxious, it was just more a case of seeing what wanted to be done. It was out of my hands, that’s how I felt. It wasn’t something I could control."

Balogun added:

"The only thing I could do was just turn up to train and work hard. So I did that. And then after training, I enjoyed being back in London. I saw my friends, caught up with my family."

He also revealed that his sale was outMikel Arteta's control as well:

"He didn’t really say much, when I came back he just said well done, and he encouraged me to keep going. Then me coming back in a pre-season, it was just more about me seeing whether I fit into his plans and seeing if I can continue to play some games."

He added:

"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."

Balogun has made a good start at Monaco, scoring three goals and providing one assist in his first five games.

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Who do Arsenal play next?

Arsenal have made a strong start to their 2023-24 season. They defeated treble winners Manchester City 1-0 at the Emirates on October 8 to solidify their claim as Premier League title challengers.

The Gunners are unbeaten domestically and are second in the league standings with 20 points having played eight games, only behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference. They are also second in Group B in the UEFA Champions League with three points, one behind Lens.

Arsenal next play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on October 21, following the international break. The Blues have also turned their season around, having won their last three games in a row.