Folarin Balogun is likelier to join a Serie A club instead of returning to the Premier League if he leaves AS Monaco in January.
According to a report by Pete O’Rourke on Football Insider, Folarin Balogun is the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The Lilywhites are eager to reinforce their offensive unit by signing a striker in the winter transfer window, and they have their sights set on the 25-year-old AS Monaco centre-forward.
However, per Pete O’Rourke, Juventus will be better-placed in the battle for Balogun’s signature due to his preference for a Serie A move. This update has come in the wake of the American striker’s comments that returning to the Premier League was possible for him.
How has Folarin Balogun fared in Ligue 1?
Folarin Balogun joined AS Monaco from Arsenal in August 2023, ending a 15-year association with the North London club, and he has established himself as a prolific striker since then. In over three seasons at the Ligue 1 club, the 25-year-old has flourished, most recently enjoying his most productive campaign in 2025/26.
Balogun contributed 19 goals and five assists in 43 appearances across all competitions in the 2025/26 season before embarking on an impressive campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring three goals and providing one assist in four outings. Those exploits provoked interest from several clubs, and Everton seemed to have won the race to sign the USMNT international before he pulled the plug on a move at the eleventh hour.
What next?
Following his decision to remain at AS Monaco, Balogun has struggled for regular game time, managing only 194 minutes in six outings, with Paris Brunner becoming the first-choice striker. That has not deterred his suitors, with Tottenham holding a long-standing interest amid the need to find a reliable alternative to Dominic Solanke. With Richarlison set to leave in January, Balogun can replace the Brazilian.
As for Juventus, the Bianconeri signed Randal Kolo Muani and Nick Woltemade in the summer. However, neither striker has been reliable, with their wastefulness contributing to a slow start to the season for the Serie A giants. A permanent move for Woltemade is unlikely, with the German striker now a target for Bayern Munich.
The American striker possesses previous experience of English football and the physical profile to become a top Premier League striker, which has made him an appealing target for Tottenham. That physicality can also enable him to impose himself in Serie A. The player’s preference to move to Italy means Tottenham must look elsewhere for a new striker in January.