It will be impossible to keep Balogun — Reims club president

Reims club president Jean-Pierre Caillot has admitted that it will be impossible for the club to keep Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun after the end of the current season.

The English international of Nigerian descent joined the Reds and Whites on a season-long loan from the Gunners last summer with no option to make the deal permanent.

The 21-year-old has hit the ground running in his debut season in France as he is currently the leading top scorer in the topflight with 14 goals ahead of Alexandre Lacazette(13), Kylian Mbappe (13) and Neymar Jr (12).

Despite his incredible performance for the club, Caillot maintains that it will be impossible to keep the in-form striker when his loan deal expires at the end of the season as per the contractual agreement.

“I think it’s impossible. The rules of the game are very clear: these are boys who, when they join us, know that they are there to reveal themselves and this is a stage for them.

“So, even if I don’t decide for him, either Folarin will return to his club Arsenal to have his chance, or he will be loaned out again or even transferred to a very high-level club.

“He is a player who must go even higher. So obviously, we will ask the question to him, who feels good here, and to his club but I think that today he will have to take a step.

“So, we are already working on the future of Balogun, the day he will be taken to leave the club. But if he and his club agree to do another year at Stade de Reims, we will do everything to make it happen.”

WDN