Folarin Balogun or Eddie Nketiah - Who should Mikel Arteta give more minutes to next season?

Folarin Balogun

Folarin Balogun or Eddie Nketiah - Which Arsenal striker should Mikel Arteta give more minutes to next season? 

By Jack Lacey-Hatton

Folarin Balogun or Eddie Nketiah - Who should Mikel Arteta give more minutes to next season? 

It is clear that even if he produces his best season yet in an Arsenal shirt, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will still need help if the Gunners are going to break back into the top four next year.

Thankfully, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta certainly has competition for places in the striking department.

Both Folarin Balogun and Eddie Nketiah will be desperate to make their mark at the Emirates next season.

But who should Arteta be giving more minutes to in 2021-22 when Aubameyang does miss out?

 

Folarin Balogun

The 2021-22 season could be Balogun’s breakthrough year.

The 19 year-old New York-born attacker should have a huge chance to build on early promise next season, particularly in the cup competitions.

The Gunners faced a difficult battle to retain his services last year, but he has now signed a contract until 2025.

He will desperate not only to take some of the workload off Aubameyang but to maybe eventually succeed him as Arsenal’s first-choice striker.

Although Balogun has fewer minutes in senior football than Nketiah, he has still managed to showcase a sharpness in front of goal.

In only six appearances for the first team last season, he still scored two goals (both in the Europa League) despite limited opportunities.

If he can impress during pre-season games to the club staff, Balogun will have every chance of starting the season deputising for the No.14 and Alexandre Lacazette.

 

Eddie Nketiah

Eddie Nketiah

Nketiah does have experience on his side, in the battle of the young strikers.

At 22 years old, he has already had a loan spell at Leeds United and made close to 40 appearances for the Arsenal first team.

In his time at the club, he has shown neat turn of foot, intelligent movement around the box, and produced some smart finishes but his time in the Championship at Leeds was frustrating, as Nketiah often found himself behind Patrick Bamford in the pecking order.

Yet since returning to the Emirates in January 2020, he seems to have improved both his strength and mobility, something that may have been aided by working with Marcelo Bielsa.

The big question for England-U21's record goalscorer is can he turn flashes of promise into a strong goal return over the course of a full campaign?

So far he has only hit two goals at most in the league per season. In total, 13 goals in 65 games across all competitions is not a disastrous record but to prove he can be trusted to help Aubameyang next season, he will need to offer more.

It is fast approaching four years since his senior debut, which also may count against him.

If he was going to become a serious option for Mikel Arteta in the forward role, would it not have already happened by now?

 

Verdict

Folarin Balogun may not have the experience, but he should have the edge on Nketiah for minutes next season.

While Nketiah’s future still has a question mark against it, Balogun has signed a new long-term contract and is clearly someone the club management want to invest in.

He also offers a slightly different option to Aubameyang, while Nketiah’s style is a little more similar to the Gabonese forward.

If he can repeat his Europa League exploits in pre-season don’t be surprised to see Arteta give him some minutes at the start of the Premier League campaign.

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