Spurs have been linked with a striker who just enjoyed his best ever season - but the media can’t agree on whether he’s on his way to London or not.
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Folarin Balogun isn’t exactly unfamiliar with the notion of finding himself stuck in the middle of an argument. Over the summer, FIFA’s decision to allow him to play for the United States in their World Cup defeat to Belgium despite the fact that he had been sent off in the previous match created immense controversy – and now he’s at the middle of another debate about his future.
Some sources suggest that Tottenham Hotspur have opened up discussions with AS Monaco ahead of a bid to bring the Arsenal academy graduate back to North London. Others insist that Balogun isn’t a target for Spurs at all. It may not be quite as consequential for football as a whole as the row which emerged over the summer, but it could be rather important for both the player and his supposed suitors in the capital.
So could Balogun end up moving to Spurs this summer? And if so, is he a player who could make a real difference as they look to build a squad which can compete at the top end of the Premier League table once again?
Are Tottenham Hotspur trying to sign Folarin Balogun?
While Balogun’s future had been the source of plenty of generalised speculation since his impressive performances at the World Cup, there was discussion about a specific destination until French outlet L’Equipe reported that Spurs had “made their move” to sign the American international on Tuesday.
L’Equipe’s report was relatively light on specifics but suggested that Spurs had “laid the groundwork for discussions” – a rather nebulous phrase, to say the least – and that a deal would likely set them back around €60m (£51m), twice the sum that Monaco paid to sign him from former side Arsenal back in 2023.
Since that story first broke, however, there have been mixed messages from other sections of the media. The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor reported that Balogun was “not currently a Tottenham target,” while Fabrizio Romano was distinctly non-committal, simply suggesting that “nothing concrete” existed between Spurs and Monaco.
Spurs have monitored Balogun’s progress in recent months and are believed to have sent scouts to watch him in action in Ligue 1, but that’s something that’s true of many players that they have decided not to bid on – Balogun may well be no different.
The wider reporting has the faint whiff of an attempt to spark interest as deadline day nears. L’Equipe mentioned that Newcastle had also been keeping tabs on Balogun without suggesting that any conversations had taken place, while Romano mentioned that Galatasaray and unnamed Saudi Pro League sides had made contact about a deal. In such circumstances, it isn’t unusual for a player’s representatives to seed a few stories around in order to try and drum up interest from prospective suitors and create a sense of urgency.
That may be the case here as well. Spurs hold at least some amount of interest in Balogun but there is no clear evidence that he is a priority target and no suggestion that a formal offer has been made. As it stands, the 25-year-old does not seem to be close to making a move back to England.
That doesn’t mean that it’s out of the question. Spurs’ first priority is to sign at least one new winger – ideally two, with Cody Gakpo and Savinho among the targets – but the addition of a new striker is something they will consider if they have the remaining transfer funds once more important deals have been arranged. Much may also depend on whether Richarlison leaves. If that happens and the money is there, there’s at least a sporting chance that the idea of a deal for Balogun swims back into focus.
Why Folarin Balogun with add a different dimension to Spurs – if they sign him
As well as considering their financial position, Spurs will also have to judge whether Balogun is the type of centre-forward they need. He’s certainly a very different type of player than Dominic Solanke, their current first choice in the role when fit.
Where Solanke straddles the line between a traditional target man and a poacher, Balogun’s strengths lie not in his link-up play or necessarily his finishing, but in his capacity to exploit space and get in behind high defensive lines. He’s a striker that suits a more direct style of play, as a general rule.
Technically, he has improved considerably over the past year – both his passing and dribbling were far more efficient in the 2025/26 season than they were in the past – but he’s still not a player whose final ball or ability to beat defenders on the ground make for very strong sell points.
Balogun still fails with around 60% of his attempted dribbles and while he did provide a respectable four assists in 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season, the xG stats suggest that he was somewhat fortunate to have created that many. His passing and crossing aren’t weaknesses, per se, but nobody would pay £50m or more for them.
His greatest asset is the sharp movement and swift burst of acceleration which allow him to punish defences who give him an inch of space. Balogun has become an expert at finding a spare half-yard around the penalty area and using it well – the result was 19 goals in all competitions for Monaco last season, and of course the three which made him an American hero at the World Cup.
The challenge for Balogun now is becoming more efficient in such positions. The 2025/26 season represented a huge step in the right direction – he managed just 12 goals in the previous two years – but he still slightly undershot his xG and missed more presentable chances than he might care to think about. There is work yet to be done, although he is headed in the right direction.
Is he right for Spurs, though? If De Zerbi wants to get quick balls over the top and in behind the defence, then he would be a better fit for the role than the slower Solanke. If the gameplan leans more heavily on possession, then he would be rather less suitable. The former seems more likely based on De Zerbi’s history as a tactician.
He would offer Spurs something different, and offer them another way to unlock defences – although finding ways to incorporate strikers with different style and profiles stumped them last season.
Is he worth £50m or more? His 2025/26 production would have to be the new baseline, not his peak, although he’s trending in the right direction. But he will only be worth that much to Spurs if he suits the style of play and meets a need in De Zerbi’s system. That certainly seems possible, at least. Now the question is whether they’ll ever make that bid or not.