Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun has netted a spectacular hattrick for Ligue 1 outfit Reims launching him ahead of Kylian Mbappe to the top of the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts.
The 21-year-old, who is highly rated by the north London club, was sent out on a season-long loan in an attempt to help him develop by getting some first-team game time, with Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus both ahead of him in Mikel Arteta's pecking order. In his first six months in France, the young frontman has more than exceeded expectations, netting 13 times across all competitions already this term.
He scored a last-gasp equaliser over the weekend against Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes, taking the ball past onrushing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma before slotting the ball into the net to clinch an unlikely point against Lionel Messi and co. Balogun then scored again on Wednesday night, slotting home a penalty during a league match against Lorient before adding two more goals in the second half to complete his hattrick. He now leads the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts ahead of Mbappe.
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Arsenal fans then flocked to social media to heap praise on the talented youngster, with some claiming that he is currently Europe's best centre-forward in his age bracket. Here is what a select few on Twitter said.
@saltimes : "The best U21 striker in the world right now. Folarin Balogun."
@gidnebzhsbs6262 : "They’d get a really good fee for him but I’d want to keep him. Seems like the most complete cf out of the 3, although Nketiah has been playing like a complete cf recently."
@cedsc : "Need to get a nice 50 million+ and fund our midfield marquee transfer."
@DS_23 : "Yeah we have to see 50m before he goes anywhere."
@pureballtalk : "Cold finish. Hope we bring him back."
@SammyAlverez10 : "If he was called baloginho you will 70m by now what a player we have in our hands Arteta should better give him his chance."
@Kofi1999_ : "Balogun is better than Joao Felix."
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