USMNT forward Folarin Balogun gave an explanation of his decision to leave Arsenal and join AS Monaco.
The striker was in high demand during the summer transfer window after a breakout 2022–23 campaign with Reims, during which he scored 21 goals. Monaco eventually took first place after paying the Gunners €40 million (£34m/$43m), supposedly because the striker refused to compete for regular playing time at Arsenal and insisted on leaving the Emirates Stadium.
The difficult decision to leave Arsenal and relocate outside of London, where he had spent his formative years as a footballer, was made by Balogun, who has now explained his reasoning.
He stated to The Athletic that he thought discomfort produced the best accomplishments in life.
Therefore, I’ve moved out of my comfort zone and away from my family and friends in order to develop as a player.
Given the high price tag, Balogun acknowledged that there would be expectations, but he feels that the pressure is “more internal” since that he has previously demonstrated his ability to be a leading frontman and is under pressure to do so every season.
“At Arsenal, there was competition, and I wouldn’t anticipate moving to another elite team and not encountering it. But (Ben Yedder) is a legend in my eyes, and I can’t wait to play with him and pick his brain,” he continued.
When Monaco plays Lens in Ligue 1 on Saturday, Balogun will be looking to get off to a fast start and score his first goal for the team.
