Tottenham Hotspur probably aren’t acquiring United States men’s national team star Folarin Balogun. And that’s a shame. Tottenham’s links to Folarin Balogun were encouraging, both for the team and the player because moves like that are just the type of thing that a club in transition like Spurs should be making. And while it’s true that the idea might feel a little like sacrilege due to Balogun first developing with hated North London rivals Arsenal, if it had come to fruition, it would have been great for both Balogun and for Tottenham as Roberto De Zerbi looks to lead the club back to European play.

Balogun has blossomed in Ligue 1 with stops at Reims and Monaco, but after last season saw him score 13 league goals and five more in Champions League play, there isn’t much left to accomplish in the league. While that doesn’t mean that Balogun has to be looking for a new club, since he’s a consistent starter at Monaco, if an opportunity does present itself, it should be considered.

Why Tottenham need an upgrade

Tottenham, a club that can offer increased wages and the exposure of the most-watched league in the world could have been just the next step that the 25-year-old needed. After staving off relegation for two consecutive seasons, Tottenham are finally rebuilding the team, but somewhere that is crying out for help is the striker position. Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani, and Dominic Solanke played the lion’s share of minutes last season, combining for 23 goals between the Premier League and the Champions League. Richarlison and Kolo Muani both logged over 2000 minutes in those competitions, while Solanke’s injury issues limited him to fewer than 1500 minutes. All three are also going past their prime, and Kolo Muani has returned to Juventus following his loan, showing that there’s a clear upgrade needed in the attack. 

A De Zerbi attack is reliant on chances coming quickly and having someone who can take them in stride, which is where a striker like the American comes into play. A strong finisher who can take chances in tight spaces or play on the back shoulder of a defense, Balogun has the traits that would fit the attack while also playing a style that holds up in the Premier League, where spaces get tighter and close faster. Considering his age, there’s also the opportunity for De Zerbi to unlock a new level in his game once he gets settled with the club. Looking at other linked Tottenham targets like Cody Gakpo, it’s clear that the ability to thrive in a fluid system is key. Gakpo operates more as a winger, while Balogun has played either as a lone nine or in a front two, but the movement that both employ is similar.

Why Balogun should chase a move

Pressure from the Premier League can swallow up players, but not only was Balogun raised in that pressure with Arsenal, he just excelled in a World Cup on home soil, scoring three goals for the United States men’s national team in only four appearances. It may have ended with him having more pressure than he should’ve had with his red card being suspended, but even that was a moment that Balogun took in stride despite the tough position that he and the national team were put in.

A club like Tottenham is the perfect next step because, with Spurs in rebuilding mode after shockingly facing a relegation fight last season, it doesn’t come with the immediate pressure of leading the line for a team like Liverpool, or Manchester United where if he doesn’t score in his first three games with the club, the pressure to bench a new signing would be higher. This move and one’s like it would offer a middle ground where he could succeed and find his stride while still having the ability to strive for more, a step up from Monaco, but a similar one.

Tottenham may be a club looking to get out of turmoil, but with a settled squad, they have the spending power to compete at the upper reaches of the game, which isn’t something that Monaco can do these days. Of the clubs that have been linked to Balogun, the London side is the only one that can offer that distinction, which would make it something worth considering as compared to a stay in France.

Other possible options for Balogun like going to Turkiye are less appealing. Those sides can offer high wages, and remain in the Champions League but it isn’t something that would feel like an upgrade competitively. Elsewhere, there are only a small group of clubs that can offer the upward mobility without the pressure out of the gate. A club like Atletico Madrid, if they lose star striker Julian Alvarez could be one, but that’s a different playstyle that doesn’t really suit the American. USMNT players time and time again have made moves just for the sake of making them, and it has led to their international careers suffering, so any move does need to be carefully considered. A shiny new club that’s already pushing for a league title is quite a jump from Monaco, and the demands of a move like that could pose an issue, but the step right behind that is a natural progression for Balogun to continue challenging himself as he grows as a player in his own right.