Arsenal American international striker Folarin Balogun, 22, has signed a five-year contract with Monaco, the Principality club officially announced on Wednesday evening. Loaned last season to Reims where he had a very good season (22 goals scored including 21 in Ligue 1), Balogun was not in the plans of the Spanish coach of Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, for this season.
According to an internal source at the Monegasque club, the amount of the transfer is 30 million euros, to which are added various bonuses of up to 10 million euros. On the other hand, Arsenal have agreed to collect a percentage of the transfer fee upon resale of the player, the source said. After having completed all medical examinations between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, the player will be presented to the media on Thursday during a press conference. He will qualify for the match against Lens on Sunday.
Born in New York on July 3, 2001, Balogun grew up in London from the age of two, and was educated at Arsenal, where he signed his first professional contract aged 17. In total, with the London club, this fast and precise striker played only 10 official matches, in all competitions, for two goals scored.
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After a stint at Middlesbourgh (21 matches) during the second part of the 2021-2022 season, it was in Reims, last season, that he really revealed himself.
A former England U23 international who has become an American A international (two caps and a goal), Balogun has been selected by Gregg Berhalter to play in the next two matches for the United States national team, on September 9 and 12 against Uzbekistan and Oman.
Balogun’s arrival in Monaco aims to compensate for the long absence of Swiss international Breel Embolo, whose return is not expected before February 2024 following his knee surgery.
On the other hand, Monaco has authorized French defender Ruben Aguilar to go to Lens in order to undergo his medical examination to join, we also learned from internal sources at the Monegasque club.
According to various sources close to this file, the amount of the transfer of the defender who is under contract with Monaco until June 2025, is 3.5 million euros accompanied by 0.5 million bonuses.
