Jesus is the starting cf and the saka backup.

When asked about his conversations with Arteta after returning from loan at Reims, Balogun said: "He didn’t really say much, he just said that when I came back he just said well done, and he encouraged me to keep going.

"Then me coming back in a preseason, it was just more about me seeing whether I fit into his plans and seeing if I can continue to play some games.

“He said that he would try to get me involved as best as he could, but of course he also told me that the people higher up were making decisions on me and seeing what would be best for me. So the conversations between me and him were good, but it was more about the club, what they wanted to do.”

We also had a huge summer. Mikel would have likely wanted to try and asses Balo over a full season, but after spending so much we had to make some sales and he was the player to sell for a good fee this summer. The fact that Raya was an initial loan says a lot, we are not Chelsea to spend like idiots.

We picked the worse one between him and Eddie, but it is what it is, get Toney in Jan or Osimhen in summer and we move on

I am just assuming here that Arsenal board made a decision that in the summer transfer window if a good offer comes their way with favourable terms and conditions then sell but if not we would continue with him through the season. Same happened with Gabriel, there were rumors floating around him about to get offers from saudi and serie A and most likely the board asked Arteta not to play gabriel to have him injury free to have a smooth transfer if a suitable offer comes. They did the same with balogun despite of jesus being injured at that time. If u remember when Arsenal left gabriel out of the team sheet they were also looking for CBs in the market if the deal happens. As you can see Gabriel was named in the starting XI after the summer transfer window closed.

People are so weird about our lineups. It’s the same with Eddie and Jesus. Jesus was injured, so Eddie started. Then Martinelli was injured and our best option in his place was Jesus and Eddie took his spot as striker. For some reason people think Eddie is displacing Jesus when he’s very obvious helping cover injuries.

It wasn’t because with that contract we gave Eddie, he can’t be sold even if we want to

Then we probably don’t sign a player as well.

It is what it is at this point.

No hard feelings.

Hope he has a great season

It wasn’t exactly out of his hands when he vocally stated he wouldn’t go on loan again, and forced the club’s hand in the press.

I assumed he was the one pushing for his move.

I think we look back on this transfer in 3 years with a lot of regret

It a tough one but we have a habit of retaining people for too long and then wanting to sell when their value is rock bottom. AMN, Tierney, and a few more. As someone put it before ‘When we all agree a player should go, you aren’t going to get much money. When there is a lot of debate about a player going or leaving, you’ll get some money.’

If Arteta wanted him he would still be at the club

If you state your intentions without consulting another party publicly you can’t say it’s ‘out of my hands’ because it’s not. You would quite literally be putting pressure on someone or something for everyone else to see.

Of course it is. A player who is already at the club and has come through the ranks is always going to be cheaper than bringing someone else in.

Arteta didn’t fancy him and he has gone. Nelson will be next, inexplicably Eddie will stay.

What’s that got to do with anything? I’m talking about the way he conducted himself.