Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder has expressed his delight at landing a loan deal for Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun. 

Wilder has already added Aaron Connolly to his Boro squad this month to bolster his attacking options, with Balogun closely following.

It's been announced this morning that Balogun has agreed a loan with Boro until the end of the season, with Wilder delighted to get the deal done.

“We’re delighted to get Flo in," the Boro boss told the club's media. "He’s a player I’ve known about for a long time and we identified him as someone who could come in and improve us in the second half of the season.

“He has great movement, good pace, and he’s a natural finisher. We’re looking forward to working with him.”

 

 

Balogun, 20, has featured for the Arsenal first-team in the past, whilst his form at U23 level has been sensational, too.

In 2021/22, the striker has struck 13 goals in 11 U23 appearances, as well as registering a further four assists for the Gunners.

 

 

Wilder has picked up five wins in the Championship since replacing Neil Warnock at the Riverside Stadium in early November.

The Teessiders now sit seventh in the Championship table, having been 14th at the time of Wilder's arrival.

Boro sit a single point behind Huddersfield Town, who are currently sixth, with a game in-hand on the Terriers.

The Verdict

Understandably, Wilder is delighted to get this deal done.

Balogun is a player with a lot of potential and is rated at Arsenal, which tells you all about the talent that he's got.

This loan deal has shades of the Eddie Nketiah transfer to Leeds a couple of seasons ago, which was worth some crucial points to United on their way to promotion.

Boro have made some seriously good moves already this winter and you sense there's more to come from the promotion-chasing Wilder.

Thoughts? Let us know!