Aaron Ramsey urges Mikel Arteta not to sell 'very exciting' Arsenal star

Aaron Ramsey has urged Arsenal not to sell ‘very exciting’ Folarin Balogun and insists the USA striker is ‘good enough’ to make an impact in the Premier League.

Arsenal have to decide whether to sell Balogun this summer or keep him at the Emirates Stadium and integrate him into Mikel Arteta’s squad.

The 21-year-old has only made 10 appearances for Arsenal but impressed last season on loan at Reims, scoring 22 goals in 39 games.

Balogun’s tally in Ligue 1 was more than Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, suggesting he could develop into a key player at Arsenal.

But the American is behind Gabriel Jesus in Arsenal’s pecking order and Kai Havertz’s £65m move from Chelsea will only increase the competition in the forward positions.

Balogun has insisted he is not interested in another loan move next season and wants to either be given a chance at Arsenal or be sold.

Arsenal hero Ramsey appears to hope it is the former and says the ‘very exciting’ forward can make an impact in the Premier League.

‘I’m not the Arsenal manager but Balogun’s very good,’ Ramsey told the Daily Star. ‘We played against him a couple of times and, from what I saw there, he’s a very exciting player to have in your team.

‘Arsenal have many great players but he’s definitely got the quality. And, yes, he’s good enough for the Premier League.’

Ramsey, who made 369 appearances for Arsenal across 11 seasons at the Emirates, also praised Arteta for rebuilding the Gunners since his appointment.

Arsenal challenged for their first league title since 2004 last season, eventually finishing second, five points behind treble-winners Manchester City.

‘The job that Mikel Arteta has done in such a short space of time has been remarkable really,’ Wales star Ramsey added.

‘For them to do so well and push Man City so close last season, was a great achievement. The main thing for the club was to get back into the Champions League and they managed to do that and play some great football.

‘For them to go on now and to kick on again is going to be really important and it’s just great to see them back competing for trophies when you consider what they are up against, one of the best teams that there has ever been.

‘They will have to work on that, that’s for sure. But the progression they’ve made is phenomenal. The Premier League is so tough. There’s seven or eight teams now, the way that Brighton have been playing has been fantastic and the standard has gone up again.

‘It will be difficult, that’s for sure. But hopefully they can kick on again and make another step forward this summer.’

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