- Striker joined Monaco in the summer
- Heads back to Ligue 1
- Revealed why he chose Monaco
WHAT HAPPENED? After a breakthrough 2022-23 season with Reims, in which he scored 21 goals, the striker was hot property in the summer transfer window with several clubs vying for his services. However, Monaco won the race after they paid €40 million (£34m/$43m) to the Gunners as the striker allegedly opted against competing for regular game time at Arsenal and kept insisting on an exit from the Emirates Stadium.
As the dust settles down, Balogun revealed why he took the difficult decision of leaving Arsenal and moving out of London where he had spent his formative years as a player.
WHAT THEY SAID: “I believe that you get the best results in life when you’re not comfortable,” he told The Athletic.
"So that’s why I’ve taken myself out of my comfort zone, away from my family and friends, to improve as a player."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Balogun admitted that there will be expectations given the price tag but he believes that the pressure is "more internal" given he has already proven once that he can be a leading frontman and now needs to repeat it every season.
"I expect to produce here and a lot of the pressure is internal. Obviously, the price tag brings expectations, but I’m not afraid of that," he said.
"There was competition at Arsenal and I wouldn’t expect to come to another top club and not face competition. But for me, (Ben Yedder) is a legend and I’m looking forward to playing alongside him and learning from him," he added.
IN ONE PHOTO:
Photos AS MonacoWHAT NEXT? Balogun will hope to hit the ground running and open his account for Monaco when the team take on Lens in Ligue 1 on Saturday.