Folarin Balogun, the 23-year-old USMNT forward of Nigerian heritage, is preparing for an emotional return to Arsenal, the club where his football journey began.
Having risen through Arsenal’s youth ranks, Balogun struggled to secure a place in Mikel Arteta’s first team despite a stunning loan spell at Stade de Reims, where he made headlines with his prolific scoring.
In a surprising twist, Balogun was sold to AS Monaco last season, where he’s steadily carved out a name for himself. His current campaign started brightly, with three goals in six games, but a dislocated shoulder against Stade Rennais in October briefly stalled his progress. His triumphant return in Monaco’s UEFA Champions League clash against Benfica saw him feature in a narrow 3-2 defeat.
With Monaco trailing Arsenal by just one spot in the Champions League rankings, Balogun is eager for the December 11 reunion.
“It’ll be good to be back there,” he said. “It’s where I was raised and developed as a footballer. I have deep appreciation for them, but my focus is on the games ahead.”
