Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed his delight with Folarin Balogun's performances on loan at Championship outfit Middlesbrough.

In search of regular first team action after failing to force his way into Arsenal's starting lineup despite his promotion to the senior team before the start of the season, Balogun headed out on loan to Boro in the January transfer window.

The striker netted two goals in his last three matches in the English second-tier before linking up with the Young Lions for this month's U21 EURO matches against Andorra and Albania.

The Hale End Academy graduate took that form with him to the England U21s, scoring three of the seven goals netted by the Young Lions to put them well placed to qualify for the 2023 tournament to be jointly hosted by Romania and Georgia.

Balogun was linked with a departure away from the Emirates last summer but ended up signing a new deal few months before the expiration of his contract.

Speaking to reporters at Thursday's press conference before the visit to Crystal Palace, Arteta said : "I think Flo is doing what he needed to do, and probably we should have done it a little bit earlier," the boss said.
 
"It's always a bit difficult to time when is the best moment to do that. But he’s having the right exposure, he’s playing in a different formation and sometimes a different role under a manager and a club with huge history.
 
"You can see how he is developing. This is going to give us more detail about what is the next best move for him to keep developing, because he has developed and we want him to be part of our future.
 
"He needed a pathway, he needs that exposure. He needs to go through good and difficult moments, and he needs to be able to adapt and find himself in the dressing room, and develop the importance that is required to play at this level. I think he is doing all of that really well."

Balogun has made ten career appearances for the Gunners first team, including two matches in this season's Premier League.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel