Explained: Why USMNT star Folarin Balogun is causing ‘headaches’ at Monaco

The USMNT star secured a transfer back to French football during the summer transfer window. Having impressed on loan at Reims last season, the 22-year-old striker arrived at Stade Louis II in a €30 million (£26m/$32m) deal with Premier League giants Arsenal.

Balogun, who is now a key man for club and country, has settled quickly in new surroundings and is among a group of attackers that leave Singo and his fellow defenders with sore heads after trying to contain the threat that they pose in training. Singo has told Monaco’s official website: “They are very good players and when we come home from training, we have headaches. They do us a lot of good in attack. Competition is positive in all positions and this helps to push the group to the top.”

Balogun is one of nine players to have registered a goal for Monaco in the 2023-24 campaign, with Singo adding on how the Ligue 1 outfit have become a “formidable” threat in the final third of the field: “We work a lot in training to have many offensive weapons. It pays off because nine players have already scored, including me against Lens, so danger comes from everywhere. Plenty of players are also showing formidable efficiency in front of goal, like Wissam Ben Yedder and Folarin Balogun. We are difficult to get a handle on.”

Balogun has found the target on two occasions for Monaco, with his first effort on home soil seeing him break out Thierry Henry’s iconic corner flag celebration, but he has also missed two penalties and will be hoping to see his conversion rate improve before, during and after the next international break.