Gareth Southgate invites Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun to train with England squad

NIGERIA's hopes of wooing Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun to the Super Eagles receded significantly yesterday after England manager Gareth Southgate invited him to train with the Three Lions senior squad.

Balogun, 20,  is a Hale End Academy graduate and has signed a new long-term contract that will keep him at the Emirates Stadium for the foreseeable future. Of Nigerian descent and born in New York City, Balogun is also eligible to represent the US as well as England and Nigeria.

Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) officials are believed to have been keeping an eye on him and it appears that to forestall any bid, Mr Southgate has invited him to camp. Balogun is one of four young players the English Football Association invited to train with the team, the others being Morgan Gibbs-White, Jacob Ramsey and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Later this month, England will take on Hungary, Germany and Italy in the UEFA Nations League and although Balogun is not expected to play in any of the matches, the experience of training with the team will serve him well. Balogun has been selected in the latest England U21 squad for upcoming games against Czech Republic, Kosovo, Albania and Slovenia in Euro qualifiers.

This is not the first time Southgate has invited a promising player of Nigerian descent to train with the senior squad, with ex-Fulham midfielder Tayo Edun and Chelsea academy product Dominic Solanke working out with the Three Lions in November 2017 and September 2018 respectively. Balogun has played  31 senior games combined for Arsenal and Middlesbrough, where he spent the second half of last season, scoring five goals.