Arsenal have ownership over Europe’s third highest scoring player this season, and it’s about time we discussed this.

21-year-old Folarin Balogun has been the name on the lips of many this week after securing a hattrick for his loan club Stade Reims.

A hattrick is always something to cheer about for a forward, more so when it makes you top scorer in Ligue 1 overtaking a gentleman named Kylian Mbappe.

Balogun, an English striker born in the States, has been on Arsenal’s books since he was nine where the forward has continued to flourish at Hale End.

The striker went on loan last season to Middlesborough, where he netted three times in the Championship before returning to Arsenal for another loan spell.

Stade Reims were deemed as the appropriate club for Balogun to flourish under and well, the rest so far is history.

The Englishman began to gather attention thanks to a last gasp match-drawing goal against PSG last weekend to earn his side a point in the capital.

The 21-year-old was pictured to be in good company before kick off where he was seen speaking with Thierry Henry, he later admitted he dedicated his celebration to the King by posing next to the corner flag.

We don’t know what Thierry said to Folarin, or whether it was just the mere presence of the Frenchman, but the young gun went on to score a hattrick in his next game.

That brings us to yesterday, a left-footed volley, a right-footed volley and a penalty to secure not just three goals and three points, but to make him Ligue 1 top goal scorer.

So, what do we do now?

Just before the season commenced, we were all guilty of being a bit anxious over our options up front.

We now have Eddie Nketiah performing in an animalistic fashion, Gabriel Jesus returning from injury and the third highest scorer in Europe to delegate our attack.

Balogun signed a long-term contract in 2021 in what seemed like a reward after scoring two in the Europa League following his first team debut that year.

Speaking after the England international signed his contract, Mikel Arteta was full of praise for the youngster's development before he left on loan.

“You can see how he is developing; we want him to be part of our future. I think he is doing really well.”

The inclusion of Balogun in Arsenal’s long-term plans is clear, even more so with his impeccable form in one of Europe’s most illustrious leagues.

At the start of last season, Balogun was forced to start in Arsenal’s defeat to Brentford in a dire affair where everyone on the pitch seemed to struggle.

He’s now in a new country, playing in a new league with a new language and showing his potential, something that the striker was set on doing admitting it was ‘important’ for him to ‘step out of his comfort zone.’

It’s always good to see a loan player do well, more so when they’re doing just as well as Balogun is over in France.

It’s exciting to see what Arteta will do with the young talent when he returns to Arsenal in the summer, with the potential to see a Hale End link up between the likes of Nketiah, Saka and Smith-Rowe.

I think for now, everyone associated with Arsenal in any way can have pride in seeing one of Hale End’s own amongst Europe’s elite – we wish Balogun the best of luck for the rest of the season.