Everton’s interest in Folarin Balogun has prompted the inevitable debate over where the Monaco forward sits in the current striker market and what type of player he is.
For some, Balogun ss the player who scored 21 Ligue 1 goals while on loan at Reims in 2022-23, emerging as one of the most productive young forwards in Europe. Others will point to a mixed spell at Monaco, where injuries and competition for places prevented him from building similar momentum.
The reality is probably somewhere between the two.
At 24, Balogun is no longer a prospect. He has now accumulated experience in France, represented the USMNT on the biggest international stage and spent the last few seasons operating in leagues where expectations have been considerably higher than during his breakthrough campaign and early years at Arsenal.
If Everton are serious about pursuing a deal, they will be doing so with a clear understanding of both the upside and the risks.
A striker who wants to play on the move
Balogun’s game is built around movement.
He is not a centre-forward who dominates defenders physically or functions as a back-to-goal focal point. Instead, his strengths lie in attacking space early, making runs across centre-backs and arriving in goalscoring positions before defenders can reset.
That was particularly evident during his season at Reims. Most of his best work came from quick transitions, with Balogun regularly receiving passes while facing goal rather than with his back to it.
The comparison is not perfect, but his profile is much closer to the modern striker than the traditional Premier League target man.
That could make him an interesting fit under David Moyes.
Although Moyes is often associated with a more direct style, his best sides have typically relied on forwards capable of stretching defensive lines. Balogun’s pace and willingness to run beyond opponents would offer something different to Everton’s current options.
If he were to arrive in Merseyside – and it remains a big if – the question is less around whether he can score goals and more whether Everton can consistently create the type of chances and situations on which he thrives.
Why Monaco’s spell requires context
Balogun’s record since leaving Reims inevitably forms part of the discussion.
His first season at Monaco produced some encouraging moments, but without ever reaching the level many anticipated following his time at Reims. Injuries have also interrupted his progress, making it difficult to establish any proper rhythm.
That context is important.
Those who rely heavily on sharp movement and acceleration often need regular football to perform at their best. Balogun has rarely enjoyed that over the past two seasons.
There is also a tendency to view his Reims campaign as an outlier. While 21 league goals may prove difficult to replicate, the underlying qualities that produced that return have not disappeared.
His movement is intelligent, his finishing instinctive and his ability to exploit space in behind is one of the strongest aspects of his game.
Why Everton may see an opportunity
Recruitment is, as ever, often about identifying players before their value rises again.
Balogun arrives at a point in his career where there are still unanswered questions, but also where there is enough evidence to suggest significant upside remains. His appearances at this World Cup and two goals against Paraguay in the USA’s opening game will not have gone unnoticed.
Everton are unlikely to be signing a guaranteed 20-goal striker. Few clubs outside the Premier League’s elite have access to that level of certainty.
What they could be signing is a forward entering his peak years who possesses attributes currently in short supply within the squad: pace, mobility and the ability to threaten in behind.
Whether that translates into a successful move would depend as much on the environment around him as the player himself.
But if Everton do push on with their interest, they would be getting a striker whose game is based on movement rather than physicality, on cleverness rather than aerial dominance, and someone happy to pull out wide and run the channels.
In a market where those profiles are not always easy to find for a reasonable price, it is not hard to see the appeal.
