The USMNT star left Emirates to start a new chapter in his career at Monaco.
Folarin Balogun has revealed Arsenal officials were the main driving force behind his summer exit.
The striker, who is a product of Arsenal’s academy, left the club on a permanent move to Monaco in August. Since then, he has found a solid start to his career at the Ligue 1 side, registering three goals and one assist in five matches.
Balogun left Arsenal amid stiff competition for starting places in Mikel Arteta’s lineup. But he insists the Spanish boss was still open to having him in the Gunners’ squad.
“He said that he would try to get me involved as best as he could,” he told ESPN. “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 returned to Arsenal after a highly successful loan spell at Reims. The prospect of playing as a starter at Monaco was appealing enough to convince him to leave the Emirates.
His brilliant start to the new campaign has convinced Gregg Berhalter to call him up for USMNT’s upcoming friendly matches against Germany and Ghana.
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