Ligue 1 side AS Monaco secured the services of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun on Wednesday. Balogun will join the French club in a €45 million transfer from Premier League powerhouse Arsenal.
Balogun was unveiled as a Monaco player after inking a five-year deal with his new club.
Balogun was one of the best strikers in France last season, scoring 21 goals during a loan spell with Reims. The 22-year-old American returned to Arsenal this summer, but manager Mikel Arteta made it clear that he wasn’t guaranteed a spot in the starting 11 despite his good form.
A number of European clubs were interested in Balogun, with Seria A side Inter Milan having multiple bids rejected earlier this summer. After the bidding war became too rich for Inter, Monaco swooped in and completed the transfer in a swift fashion.
Folarin Balogun’s emergence as one of the most talented young attackers also caused several countries to try and secure his allegiance on the international level. He previously played for England and the United States at youth level while also being eligible to represent Nigeria.
After several months of consideration, Balogun opted for the United States men’s national soccer team and made his debut in June in the CONCACAF Nations League. He ended up scoring his first goal for USMNT during the competition, finding the net in the final win over Canada.
