Folarin Balogun has signed a new long-term contract at Arsenal, the Premier League club has confirmed.
Manager Mikel Arteta revealed earlier this month the 19-year-old was set to perform a U-turn over his future and pen a new deal.
The forward’s current contract was set to run out this summer but Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu have convinced the player his future remains at the Emirates.
The 19-year-old has an impressive record for Arsenal’s U23s this season, scoring eight and providing two assists in 16 games.
His obvious potential had been noted by clubs outside of north London as a previous deal ran down, and both Bayer Leverkusen and Liverpool linked with an interest.
Arteta said of the starlet’s new deal: “We have been extremely impressed with Flo this season. He has continually shown his natural ability in many training sessions with us and we have been equally impressed with his early integration into the first-team squad on matchdays.
“He has given us glimpses with the performances and of course with his two goals already for the first team. The hard work starts here for Flo and we are all looking forward to supporting and working with him in the years to come.”
The club’s technical director Edu added: “It’s great that Flo will continue to be with us. He is a very promising young talent and has already shown so much quality in his performances. We are all looking forward to working with him during his continued development in the coming years.”
Balogun said: “My ambitions for next season are to make an impact in the first team. I see it as something that I’ve taken upon myself to be able to go over there and make an impact, not just be one of the numbers.
“I want to be somebody who eventually leads that group, so I would say I have quite driven ambitions. We’ll see if I can make them happen.”
Balogun has been at Arsenal since he was nine years old, and signed scholar terms with the club in July 2017.
The teenager has continued his impressive development this season, making his first-team debut and scoring his first goals at senior level.
The Gunners academy graduate has scored twice in six first-team appearances this season, netting his first senior goal in a Europa League victory over Molde in November, before striking again against Dundalk.
The New York-born striker, who has represented both the USA and England at youth level, has also earned praise from club captain Pierre-Americk Aubameyang.