Gunners boss Unai Emery gave starts to both Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock on Sunday as Arsenal began their Premier League campaign against Newcastle United.
It was another former academy graduate which provided a sublime assist for the game’s only goal when Ainsley Maitland-Niles found Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from deep before the Gabon star flicked home past Martin Dubravka just before the hour mark.
It appears there is another name that could soon be on the horizon, if he were to continue his goalscoring exploits and that’s young forward Folarin Balogun who has been scoring for fun in the club’s youth setup.
Balogun netted a hat-trick against Blackburn in the opening fixture of the Premier League 2 campaign on Monday evening, in a game which also saw Rob Holding and Emile Smith Rowe start.
The 18-year-old striker stunned the under-18s competition last season by bagging 25 goals in just 19 appearances and his performances have duly earned an early call up to Steve Bould’s under-23s squad.
A number of Arsenal supporters believe it could be just a matter of time before the starlet is seen amongst the first-team fold.
One fan asked the club to play him in the Europa League group stage whilst another added that he should be given League Cup minutes.
Others were a bit tongue in cheek by claiming he was already ‘better than Mbappe’ with one supporter believing he could be a future Aubameyang replacement.
Balogun signed his first professional deal back in February after being at the club since the age of 10.
Here’s the best of the reaction:
Europa League group stage. Start him.
— Dan Critchlow (@afcDW) August 12, 2019
Has to feature in a first team game. Give him minutes in a League cup match
— K. (@TheOzilVision) August 12, 2019
better than Mbappé
— Will ???? (@willkay49) August 12, 2019
One to watch. Scored a few hatricks already this season ????????????????????????
— JB The Arsenal Fan (@jasonarsenalfan) August 12, 2019
Our future Auba replacement????????????
— Yaniv Feldman (@yanivfeld01) August 12, 2019
This kid is on fire ????The next one to make the step up into the first team ????????
— Ricky (@RickyB__01) August 12, 2019
Bangs in goals for fun ????????????
— Mike Anderson (@m1keando) August 12, 2019
I have high hopes for him to come through to the first team, hopefully some minutes for him along with our other youth this season ????????
— AirGooner (@AirGooner) August 12, 2019
