The fight for Folarin Balogun looks to continue as the striker is set to meet with England coaches next week. Balogun was recently called up to the England U21 team, but he did not feature in the team’s recent matches. He pulled out of the squad due to an apparent minor hamstring injury.
Instead of reporting to the England U21s, Balogun traveled to the United States. The 21-year-old forward was even spotted in Orlando, where the USMNT happened to be training. Balogun made a stop in Tampa to catch a New York Yankees spring training game, as well.
England U21 coach confirms talks with Balogun
Despite the trip Stateside, England U21 head coach Lee Carsley has confirmed that he will soon meet up with Balogun in France. The striker is currently on loan at Ligue 1 side Reims from Arsenal. “That is the plan,” said Carsley about visiting Balogun. “You’re always going to miss a player with that knack of scoring. He’s going to have to make a decision, so all we can do is tell him how much we rate him. The rest is down to him.”
The highly rated striker is eligible to play for England, the United States and Nigeria. He has managed to rack up an impressive 18 goals in 29 total matches for Reims so far this season. Arsenal also tied Balogun down to a deal that extends until the summer of 2025.
USMNT in tug-of-war to get striker to change allegiances
While the meeting between the two sides could be worrisome for USMNT fans, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Balogun will choose England. The striker is surely taking his time to pick the best option. After all, it’s a massive decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
One aspect that could be seen as a positive for those wanting Balogun to choose the USMNT is the fact that England is sending their U21 coach for the meeting. The striker’s visit to Orlando was during a time in which the senior American team was training in the same area.
Balogun has made it clear that he wants to play at the highest level and he may not want to stick with an U21 team for too much longer. He would seemingly still be behind Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Marcus Rashford and possibly even Callum Wilson and Tammy Abraham.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Focus Images
