Folarin Balogun could be in line for a move to the Premier League after his World Cup heroics with the United States team.
The striker, 24, has scored two goals in the tournament so far under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino and is expected to spearhead the team’s attack in the knockout stages.
He plays at club level for Monaco and has shone in the French league after going on loan to Reims in 2022. Now, according to The Athletic, Premier League teams are in the race to take him back to England.
Balogun came through the Arsenal academy and also played for Middlesbrough before heading to France. It means he has homegrown status for any Premier League team that may sign him – each Premier League squad of 25 men has to have at least eight homegrown players.
It is believed that Monaco want an offer in the region of $57million (£43m) to sell Balogun.
There is added interest in Balogun from teams across Europe, including Italy, the report adds, and that list of suitors may even grow further if he continues to thrive on the international stage.
USA’s Folarin Balogun could be in line for a move to the Premier League after the World Cup
Balogun scored two goals for the United States in their opening 4-1 win against Paraguay
One public admirer of Balogun is his teammate and USA star Christian Pulisic, who currently plays in Italy for AC Milan.
‘The kid’s insane,’ Pulisic said after his double in the 4-1 win over Paraguay. ‘He’s lethal right now in front of goal. We’re really lucky to have him. We’re just hoping it keeps coming like this.’
Pochettino may well choose to rest Balogun for Thursday’s final group game against Turkey in Los Angeles.
Balogun, who was born in Brooklyn, is on a yellow card and another would see him suspended for the knockout game the US are scheduled to play on July 1 in San Francisco Bay.
And while the United States have already reached the next round, Turkey are already out of the competition after losing their first two games.
It remains to be seen who Pochettino and Balogun will take on in the round of 32 but it will be one of the third-place qualifiers out of the group stages.
