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Folarin Balogun turned down a move to Everton this summer despite the transfer appearing virtually sealed, yet the U.S. men's national team forward has admitted that a return to the Premier League remains "definitely an option" for him down the line.
Over the weekend, the former Arsenal academy product attended the opening NFL London game of 2026 and was quizzed on whether the Premier League still held appeal for him. Balogun's response was revealing.
"Yes, potentially," the player admitted to talkSPORT.
"Football has many twists and turns as we've seen after the World Cup. I was close to a transfer, it didn't materialize, but for sure it's definitely an option."
The summer began with Balogun netting three goals for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup, before he found himself at the center of controversy surrounding FIFA's now-notorious red-card reversal following U.S. President Donald Trump's intervention to lift his suspension after being dismissed in the round of 32. The subject continues to linger.
The summer concluded with Balogun at the heart of the most dramatic Deadline Day story of the transfer window, as his seemingly completed move from Monaco to Everton fell apart not once but twice within hours. He remains at Monaco but has featured for just 14 minutes this season and was omitted from Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT squad for the September-October international window.
Folarin Balogun Must Return to Form at Monaco Quickly
Ultimately, it was the 25-year-old who walked away from the Everton deal after the Merseyside club raised concerns during his medical, leaving Balogun feeling uncomfortable "to sign a long contract here," according to Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro.
Compounding his difficulties, the striker was excluded from Monaco's UEFA Conference League squad due to the uncertainty surrounding his future at the time the club was required to submit their list.
Nevertheless, Balogun is anticipated to be reintegrated into Monaco's setup and could be registered when the knockout stages of the third-tier European competition begin. For now, however, the USMNT striker must rediscover the sharpness that helped him score 19 club goals just a season ago.
Monaco currently lead the Ligue 1 table through five matches, and 20-year-old German international Paris Brunner has already tallied six goals across all competitions, staking his claim to become the side's first-choice center forward.
Balogun Now Faces Increased USMNT Striker Competition
It's not only at club level that Balogun must fight to hold onto his starting spot, however.
Balogun was left out of Pochettino's USMNT autumn roster because he had not featured in a single match since the 2026 World Cup when the Argentine manager named his squad. In his absence, Pochettino handed first opportunities to emerging strikers, and they have seized them emphatically.
Julian Hall, 18, became the youngest player since Pelé to score in each of his first three international appearances. The Red Bull New York teenager has rightfully dominated headlines over the past two weeks, but he is far from the only young attacker to have made an impression.
Justin Ellis has built a productive partnership at Orlando City alongside Antoine Griezmann and then opened his USMNT account just four minutes into his senior international debut. The emergence of a wave of young, dynamic attackers has defined the USMNT's international window, with several debutants immediately making their mark for the Stars and Stripes.
It is crucial that Balogun rediscovers his best form for Monaco following the international break, or failing to secure a Premier League return in the near future could end up being the least of his concerns.