At A Glance:
- Former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun is in top form for AS Monaco.
- Reports suggest that a number of Premier League sides are interested.
- A return to the Emirates Stadium could be on the cards.
Arsenal have plenty of Hale End graduates who have struggled to make the cut at the senior level of Gunners football – and Folarin Balogun, who left the club permanently in 2023, is the epitome of a talent lost too early.
Having emerged through the academy ranks as a goal-getting sensation, the American’s stint with the first team was short-lived.
All in all, he played just ten times under the stewardship of Mikel Arteta and plundered three goal involvements (two goals and one assist) in that timeframe.
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Balogun, 24, moved to AS Monaco three years ago and has proved why there was plenty of promise surrounding him during his Arsenal days. He’s since turned a corner in France and he’s being linked with a summer move as a result.
Folarin Balogun to return to the Premier League? English clubs queuing up
When Balogun first tipped up on French soil, first-team minutes were certainly hard to come by as captain Wissam Ben Yedder was the club’s main focal point.
Ben Yedder eventually left in the summer after the USMNT international arrived, the latter faced a season hampered by injury. 2025/26, however, has proven why the young centre-forward is all about.
Mika Biereth, formerly of Arsenal, is also on the books of Monaco but Folarin Balogun is currently higher up on Sebastian Pocognoli’s attacking pecking order.
At the time of writing, the American hotshot has plundered 15 goals and a further five assists for the Ligue 1 outfit across the entire season – and he’s being linked with a move away from Stade Louis II.
Amid a strong season with Monaco, L’Equipe has reported that he’s caught the attention of sides in the Premier League, thus insinuating that a return could be on the cards when the summer transfer window opens.
He’s become more well-rounded in terms of what he can offered at the top of the tree, which has not been lost on teams in England’s top flight.
Monaco – who are sixth in Ligue 1 – are currently on the precipice of securing a spot in the Europa Conference League for next season and that’s largely thanks to the 2001-born frontman’s potency in the final third.
Should Arsenal be interest in a Folarin Balogun return?
Hindsight is a beautiful thing, isn’t it? It would have been wise for Arsenal – whose centre-forward issues have been rife in years gone by – to keep hold of the former Stade Reims and Middlesbrough talisman three years ago.
It’s unclear whether Arteta is going to stick by Viktor Gyokeres, who is yet to properly find his feet in England, or move on.
But Balogun would not be a terrible squad option for the Gunners, who are likely to fight on all fronts late on until every campaign.
| Statistic | Gyokers | Balogun |
| Minutes | 1903 | 1645 |
| Goals | 11 | 9 |
| Assists | 0 | 4 |
| Shots per 90 | 1.5 | 2.6 |
| Key passes per 90 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| Dribbles per 90 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Aerials won per 90 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Overall rating | 6.67 | 6.74 |
Concerns would arise over whether Balogun suits Premier League football; he struggled to adapt last time around (though he was much younger) but he’s more experienced three years on. And a return shouldn’t be off the cards.
With Julian Alvarez, Christian Kofane and Nicolo Tresoldi all linked with a move to north London in the summer, it could be a case of ‘What could have been’ for Balogun.
