Folarin Balogun is already at the centre of a proper transfer story. Monaco head coach Filipe Luis has said the striker is likely to receive a lot of offers after last season, and Tottenham have already opened talks over a deal reported at around €60 million. Balogun scored 19 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions last season, which is enough to explain why Monaco are treating this as a live market situation.

Monaco's position on Balogun

Filipe Luis did not sound like a manager trying to shut the door. Speaking to goal.com, he said: "He is one of our players. I know he’s going to receive a lot of offers given his last season and his World Cup performance. He’s a special player. You don’t find many players on the market with his attributes. If he stays, I’ll be really, really happy to have him with us."

That is a pretty open reading of where things stand. Monaco are not said to be pushing Balogun out, but they are clearly braced for interest. His contract runs until June 30, 2028, so this is not a case of a club being forced into a weak position. It is a case of a player doing enough to make suitors take notice, and Monaco knowing they can still point to a long deal.

Tottenham's talks and the fee question

The Tottenham side is less about certainty than momentum. Reports say talks have opened around an approximately €60 million move, and that is the figure to keep in mind when reading the noise around this deal. Pete O’Rourke has also suggested Balogun could be available at a fee that is not too heavy because of the contract situation, although the value attached to him has been described in different ways by different outlets.

Balogun's output is the reason those valuations are even in play. Nineteen goals in 45 appearances is not the sort of return clubs can shrug off, especially when it comes on top of the attention he drew at international level. Tottenham's recent league form has been decent enough, but that does not mean the attack is finished. A forward with Balogun's profile will always invite scrutiny when a club is ready to talk.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →