U.S. international and AS Monaco striker Folarin Balogun is set for another spell on the sidelines. According to Monaco’s head coach, Adi Hutter, Balogun will need to undergo surgery to address a dislocated shoulder injury.
Hutter spoke about Balogun during a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s UCL clash against Arsenal. However, he didn’t offer any projection on how long Balogun will be sidelined.
“It is a shame for him and a shame for us,” Hutter added.
Balogun initially got hurt in early October and was sidelined for almost two months. He returned on November 27 for a UEFA Champions League game against Benfica before making an appearance in a 2-1 Ligue 1 loss to Olympique de Marseille on December 1.
Balogun likely aggravated his injury against Marseille, considering he missed the following game versus Toulouse and didn’t take part in training sessions last week.
Folarin Balogun joined Monaco in the summer of 2023 in a $43.4 million (with add-ons) transfer from Arsenal. After an underwhelming first season, in which he scored just eight goals, Balogun made a promising start to 2024-25 by scoring three goals in seven Ligue 1 matches. However, the recent injury struggles will likely make this another lost campaign for the 23-year-old American.
