Leeds United can be getting one among Ligue 1 and the Champions League’s greatest in Folarin Balogun.
After a sluggish begin to the summer season switch window on the recruitment entrance, Leeds’ window is beginning to come to life.
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With long-term goal Harry Wilson secured and highly-rated defender Tarik Muharemovic shoring up the Whites’ defence, additional firepower in attack could also be next on the switch to-do listing.
Balogun has scored 31 targets in 91 aggressive video games for AS Monaco, and is recent off a World Cup marketing campaign with the USA that noticed him internet three targets in 4 matches.
The 25-year-old is getting into the prime years of his profession now, and will really feel as if he is obtained some unfinished enterprise in English soccer after spells with Arsenal and Middlesbrough respectively.
And, what he achieved in 2025-26 will say to Leeds loud and clear that in the event that they have been to signal him, then Daniel Farke’s attack pressure may very well be one of the vital lethal within the Premier League transferring ahead.
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What’s Folarin Balogun’s Ligue 1-leading trait that Leeds will love?
MOT Leeds News has discussed the potential for an awkward Balogun and Muharemovic Leeds reunion this summer season.
Indeed, Muharemovic was the participant Balogun fouled and picked up his controversial pink card for while taking part in for the USA in opposition to Bosnia on the World Cup, with FIFA’s disciplinary committee then suspending his one-match ban for a 12 months, enabling him to maintain taking part in within the event.
But if that would not be an issue by way of the dressing room dynamic at Elland Road, and will Balogun give the inexperienced gentle on a transfer to West Yorkshire, then the Whites have to push the boat out to go and get him.
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In 30 Ligue 1 video games final season, Balogun scored 13 targets and offered 4 assists, with solely three gamers scoring greater than him within the league.
As per FotMob, no Ligue 1 striker in 2025-26 received greater than Balogun’s three penalties, which is one thing Leeds will worth massively contemplating solely Brentford (10) received extra spot kicks than their eight within the Premier League final 12 months.
On high of that, his 13.4 anticipated targets (xG), 11.0 non-penalty xG, 77 pictures and 32 pictures on track all ranked him within the high 6.2 percentile of French top-flight strikers.
Farke places a giant worth on his strikers having the ability to link-up with the midfield and being good in possession, and Balogun ticks that field too.
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His 297 profitable passes, 4 assists, 24 probabilities created, 14 profitable dribbles, 718 touches and 179 touches within the opposition field all ranked amongst the very best-performing strikers in Ligue 1 final season.
Balogun’s dominance prolonged to the Champions League too, scoring 5 targets in 10 video games and rating within the high 6.7 per cent of strikers for his variety of sprints (126) within the competitors.
He was additionally among the many high gamers in his place for his 27 pictures, 288 touches, 49 touches within the opposition field, 18 fouls received and 9 possessions received within the remaining third.
With Balogun displaying his high quality throughout Europe final season, what kind of place are Monaco in when it comes to his contract standing, and does it work in Leeds’ favour?
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What Leeds United will have learned from watching the World Cup so far – From Noah Okafor to Folarin Balogun Why Monaco do not have lengthy to money in on Balogun
Balogun was nonetheless Arsenal’s participant up till the summer season of 2023, the place he ultimately known as time on his Gunners profession after making simply 10 aggressive appearances for his or her first-team.
French giants AS Monaco would win his companies, however up till final season, the American had scored simply eight and 4 targets in his first two campaigns in all competitions.
So, his 19 strikes in 43 outings final time period has undoubtedly seen his worth skyrocket, along with his inventory now by no means larger.
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Upon signing him from Arsenal, Monaco inked Balogun to a five-year contract, which means his present deal is about to expire there in the summertime of 2028.
That’s now lower than two years away, which can nonetheless sound far sufficient away sooner or later to some, ought to they maintain Balogun this summer season and his kind dips next season, they could find yourself lacking the boat to financial institution huge cash for him.
Even if he was to have one other sturdy 2026-27 season with the French facet, the actual fact he would then have simply 12 months left on his deal this time next 12 months would imply he’d want a very wonderful marketing campaign to maybe inflate his worth any larger than it’s proper now.
So, Monaco might by no means get a greater likelihood to promote Balogun than they do now, and Leeds might probably use that as a component of psychology in the event that they get around the negotiation desk so as to persuade them on a sale.
