'Happy he has gone abroad' - Arsenal icon Henry delighted with Balogun's move to Ligue 1

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry says he is delighted with Folarin Balogun's move to the French Ligue 1 in the summer transfer window.

The Hale End Academy graduate joined Stade de Reims on a season-long loan last month without a purchase clause or obligation to buy included in the agreement between the Red and Whites and Arsenal.

Prior to his move to Stade de Reims, Balogun had played nonstop in England for fourteen years including a brief loan spell at Middlesbrough in the second half of last season.

The England U21 international has not had a difficult bedding-in-period with six goal involvements (5 goals, 1 assist) from six appearances before Sunday's visit to Toulouse.

"I’m really happy for him because in general English players don’t go abroad – normally players are loaned either to another Premier League side or in the Championship," Henry told Amazon Prime Video, via Get French Football News.

"He’s a very English-style player who likes to run down the  channels but he was missing something, which was his finishing.

"He’s now starting to score goals regularly and I’m happy for that – happy he has gone abroad.

"It’s especially so considering he is a Londoner, in general Londoners struggle to leave London. When I heard he was coming to France, it made me think he has a refreshing mindset."

Meanwhile, for the first time in the 2022-2023 campaign, Balogun failed to score in an away game, firing blanks as Stade de Reims were beaten 1-0 by Toulouse at Stadium Municipal on matchday seven of the French Ligue 1.

He scored in previous away games against Marseille, RC Strasbourg and Angers SCO.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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