PROFILE | All-change as Folarin Balogun switches club and country

2023 has been a big year of progress for Folarin Balogun, who swapped the Champagne region for the shores of Monaco’s principality, crucially opting to extend his stay in Ligue 1 after finishing the 2022-2023 season as its joint-fourth highest scorer.

It would be impossible to speak about the rise of Stade de Reims under Will Still last season without pointing towards the man whose goals propelled the club from the région de Champagne up the table.

At the age of 21 Balogun became the first Reims player to score in each of his first three appearances since Jacques Vergnes in 1975 – and at one point the youngster was rivalling Kylian Mbappé and Neymar in his early season form in 2022-2023. “He’s a very English-style player who likes to run the channels but he was always missing that finishing touch,” explained fellow former Gunner Thierry Henry. “I’m so happy he’s gone abroad, and I’m pleased he’s scoring goals. When I heard he was coming to France, it made me think: ‘What a refreshing mindset.’”

By the beginning of 2023, Balogun’s explosion onto the Ligue 1 scene was only just getting underway. The Arsenal loanee was on the way to proving that his new-found clinical edge wasn’t just an early season flash in the pan. The Londoner continued to net through the winter months and into the spring, with a ten-goal flurry in the second half of the season (including a hat-trick against Lorient) to bring his tally to 22 goals in 39 appearances for Will Still’s side.

After finishing as Ligue 1’s joint-fourth highest scorer at the end of the 2022-2023 season, the summer would undoubtedly be a period of great intrigue for the Arsenal striker. The New York-born striker firstly switched his international allegiance to the United States to much fanfare over the Atlantic. After joining the Stars and Stripes, Balogun has gone on to score three goals in eight appearances so far for his country. “As far as I was aware, I wasn’t in the discussions for the first-team for England, so I was just more comparing my feelings towards America,” said the striker calmly about his choice.

The big move to Monaco from Arsenal

Whilst the player was settled in Champagne region, a permanent move for Les Rémois looked unlikely. Whilst there was external pressure from Arsenal fans to keep the prolific striker for their Premier League campaign – Balogun was never going to be second fiddle after season he just had. If he was not going to get enough game time with the Gunners, then a departure from his hometown club was inevitably on the cards.

Balogun was a wanted man: Inter Milan, West Ham, Lens and Monaco were positioning themselves for a move. When Inter Milan couldn’t find a way to pull-off a deal, it was AS Monaco who coughed up a €45m offer which was accepted by the Gunners. The US international then signed a five-year-deal with Les Monégasques in late August as a marquee signing for the principality club.

For Balogun the move made sense for a number of reasons. He was evidently returning to a league where he’d already proved his worth, and at a club which was renown for nurturing young strikers. A nudge from former Monaco ace Thierry Henry seemed to help too.

“When I played against Monaco last year, I messaged him [Henry]  before the game and he was telling me about the club, the history. He also said the city is very nice. That put the thought in my mind, and over time it became more clear that this is the next step for me and the step I wanted to make,” said Balogun shortly after signing for the club.

Balogun began life well on the principality, netting three goals in his first five appearances for a resurgent Monaco side who were back fighting at the top of the Ligue 1 table under new manager Adi Hütter. He notably scored against Marseille and against his former side Reims at the beginning of October. Yet, the American has struggled to replicate his early season form of last season. By this stage Balogun had raced ahead with nine goals to his name – whereas by the end of the 2023 he has only netted on one occasion (against PSG) in his last nine games.

“In terms of statistics, my mentality is always to try and be better. Last season, I wasn’t happy with my statistics. It’s no different for me this year,” said Balogun earlier this year.

Whilst Balogun’s goal output has decreased, he is indeed serving his side in a different manner – with more assists. “I have to also remember that this is a team, a collective, and I have to always try and help the team in any way that I can,” the striker said in the same press conference.

Balogun has more assists at this stage of the season (4) than he registered for the whole of his previous campaign (3). It is proof of a player who is still developing, in a side which can spread its’ goalscoring talent across the pitch (especially with the enigmatic Aleskander Golovin coming into good goalscoring form this season).

Despite not entirely replicating his barnstorming start to last season, Folarin Balogun has progressed well in 2023, riding the waves of change to the shores of Monaco where he has made a solid, if somewhat understated, start to the season.

GFFN | George Boxall