It has been an eventful start to life with AS Monaco for Folarin Balogun. The United States men's national team forward sits top of Ligue 1 with his new team on 17 points in the Championnat. The 22-year-old has only been at Stade Louis II for just over a month after making his initial $30 million move from Arsenal late in the August transfer window with the French season already underway.
Balogun has three goals and an assist to his name from five outings with Monaco, with two substitution appearances in addition to three starts and with one of his trio of strikes coming off the bench at Lorient. All of the U.S. international's goals have come since the September international break, although he did debut for Les Monegasques just days after signing in a 3-0 win over RC Lens in Ligue 1.
It has not all been plain sailing around the Cote d'Azur with Balogun failing to convert two penalties in a 1-0 defeat at home to French Riviera rivals OGC Nice which was the Brooklyn native's full debut. Balogun bounced back with his best spell yet, though, leading Adi Hutter's Monaco side to a 3-2 win over Olympique de Marseille and a 3-1 success over former club Stade de Reims.
Folarin Balogun back again 🇺🇸💥#SDRASM pic.twitter.com/NvKRh4X052
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) October 9, 2023
The American's respectfully muted celebration earned him a standing ovation from the home support at Stade Auguste Delaune as he was withdrawn eight minutes from time. No ASM player has done better than Balogun in that period -- not even the prolific Wissam Ben Yedder, nor this term's new breakout star Maghnes Akliouche who netted twice vs. OM and teed up Balogun's goal.
"This year, we are strong, especially with Balogun," Monaco's Krepin Diatta said of his new teammate after his latest show of cutting edge in front of goal away at Reims. "He has just come in and has incredible efficiency in front of goal. We already knew his qualities, but he helps us a lot. We were very clinical. They also had chances, but they were not as efficient as we were."
Don't miss CBS Sports Golazo Network's Morning Footy, now in podcast form! Our crew brings you all the news, views, highlights and laughs you need to follow the Beautiful Game in every corner of the globe, every Monday-Friday all year long
Balogun has also added to his USMNT goal tally since his principality move with the opening strike in the 4-0 thrashing of Oman back in the September internationals. The Monaco No. 29 will be keen to show a re-hired Gregg Berhalter what he can bring to the table for the Stars and Stripes now that he is back in the goals at club level with the confidence flowing after apparent recent tension.
Despite his 21 goals with Reims last campaign, Balogun only racked up two assists which underlined his limited direct involvement in build-up play for Will Still's men. It has taken him just three full starts to produce half of that tally under Hutter at Stade Louis II which hints at the greater involvement that was predicted when he decided to continue his development in France.
53% - Among players who have appeared for Monaco in Ligue 1 this season, 53% have scored at least once (10/19), the highest percentage in the Top 5 European leagues in 2023/24. Sharing. #SDRASM pic.twitter.com/2nnZwHXWBu
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) October 7, 2023
Penalties aside, Monaco's underlying numbers of +9.2 with 21 goal scored to 11.8 non-penalty expected goals is the most elevated positive differential between goals and xG across Europe's top five leagues. Not only Balogun, who despite his penalty misses has three goals from slightly under one xG, is efficient as 10 of the 19 players to have appeared so far this year have scored which has produced Europe's highest percentage of 53% across the top domestic competitions.
Right now, things are going very well for Balogun in Monaco with the eight-time Ligue 1 winners currently topping the table one point clear of unbeaten Nice and two points clear of defending champions Paris Saint-Germain. There is a tricky doubleheader against Jonathan David's Lille OSC and Championnat surprise package Stade Brestois 29 to come before the November internationals.
After that final stint of 2023 with the USMNT, Balogun and his Monegasque teammates will get road tests against PSG and Stade Rennais as well as a home clash with Olympique Lyonnais before French soccer breaks for nearly a month in the winter. Should the American be able to maintain his strong early form, then Hutter's men could still be in title contention heading into 2024.
