Matt Turner issues Arsenal team-mate Folarin Balogun future advice as ace ‘spotted’ in USA
Matt Turner, the goalkeeper for Arsenal, has offered some guidance to his teammate Folarin Balogun, who is considering which country to represent internationally.
Balogun is eligible to play for England, Nigeria, or the United States but was disappointed after being left out of the England squad for the upcoming European qualifiers, despite scoring 16 goals in Ligue 1 this season.
Turner, speaking at a press conference for the USMNT, expressed his belief that Balogun would be an excellent addition to the team. Balogun was recently seen in Orlando, where the USMNT will be playing against El Salvador on March 28th.
Balogun had a difficult week after being disappointed about not being selected for Southgate’s senior squad. Although he was chosen for England’s U21 team, Balogun decided to withdraw from the team due to injury, even though Reims had not reported him as injured.
Balogun’s decision has led to speculation that he may switch to playing for the USMNT, a move that Turner supports. Turner spoke about his relationship with Balogun during a USMNT press conference, saying they had spent a lot of time together during pre-season.
“Knew he had some roots in US. He and I developed a relationship quickly. Be a great addition to our national team. Been great on loan. Decision has to come from the heart.”
😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳 https://t.co/ok9w20WrWC
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) March 22, 2023
Recent social media activity has placed Balogun in Orlando, leading some USMNT fans to speculate that he may be considering committing to the United States national team.
The USMNT has upcoming matches against Grenada and El Salvador, and supporters are excited at the possibility of adding Balogun’s striker skills to the team.
Balogun has previously played for both England and the USMNT at the youth level, but he is also eligible to represent Nigeria. Given his reaction to being left out of the England squad, it is possible that he may be considering a switch to a different national team.
"In life, go where you're appreciated."
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) March 16, 2023
Folarin Balogun on Instagram after not making the England roster 👀 pic.twitter.com/CWA66zmafk
Since the young player has not played for any senior national team yet, he has the freedom to choose which country he wants to represent for the rest of his career.
In November, Balogun stated in an interview with PUNCH Sports Extra that he would make a decision soon and that it would not be influenced by public opinion, but rather based on what is most beneficial for him.
“We will talk about it quietly with my family. Because my parents are Nigerian, their first language is Yoruba. I have a lot of family in Nigeria. My mother also has family in New York and Atlanta, with whom we exchange regularly and who sometimes visit us in London.”
Matt Turner issues Arsenal team-mate Folarin Balogun future advice as ace ‘spotted’ in USA
