Tottenham Targets Folarin Balogun as Striker Search Intensifies

Tottenham have stepped up their search for a new No.9, opening talks with Monaco over USA striker Folarin Balogun as another long-term target, Dusan Vlahovic, closes in on a move to Besiktas.

Spurs turn to Balogun as striker urgency grows

Roberto De Zerbi arrived determined to rebuild Tottenham from the back, and the club have already poured more than £230 million into strengthening defence and midfield. That groundwork is done. Now comes the part that defines seasons: finding goals.

The plan is clear – two attacking signings before the window shuts on September 1. The execution, less so.

A drawn-out hunt for a left-winger has dragged on, and the situation up front has suddenly sharpened. Dominic Solanke missed the weekend friendly draw with Getafe due to an ankle problem, leaving Richarlison as the only fit senior centre-forward. He has already made it known he is ready to move on. For a club with Champions League ambitions, that is a precarious place to be.

So Tottenham have moved.

According to L’Equipe, Spurs have made an approach to Monaco for Balogun “in recent hours” and laid the foundations for a deal worth around €60 million (£51.2m). It is an assertive play for a striker who knows north London, knows pressure, and has grown into a genuine leading man in Ligue 1.

Balogun left Arsenal for Monaco three years ago in a £35m deal and has since hit 31 goals in 91 appearances for the French side. Not outrageous numbers, but solid, and increasingly consistent for a player still only 25.

He enhanced his reputation further on the international stage this summer. Leading the line for the United States at the World Cup, Balogun scored three times in four games. His tournament was not without controversy – he was embroiled in a red-card incident that led to a one-year suspension, only for Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino to intervene, clearing the way for him to feature in the last-16 defeat to Belgium. The storm only heightened the spotlight. He handled it.

Now that profile has brought him back into the Premier League’s crosshairs.

Tottenham are not alone. Newcastle United, who were already battling Sunderland for his signature earlier in the summer, remain in the frame, while clubs in Spain have also registered interest. Spurs, though, are pushing to get ahead of the pack, hoping that decisive early movement can tilt the deal their way.

For De Zerbi, Balogun would offer something different to Solanke and Richarlison: a mobile, penalty-box forward with the pace to stretch defences and the instincts to thrive in a high-tempo, front-foot system. For Tottenham, he would be a statement that the rebuild is not just about control and structure, but about cutting edge.

Vlahovic door closes as Besiktas swoop

While one door opens, another is swinging shut.

Dusan Vlahovic, a long-standing name on Tottenham’s attacking shortlist, is on the verge of heading in a very different direction. The former Juventus striker and his camp have given the initial green light to join Besiktas, with a three-year contract worth €10m per season verbally agreed.

The legal work now stands between Vlahovic and Istanbul. Once the paperwork is approved, the Serbia international could be on a plane to Turkey within 48 hours.

Tottenham’s interest in Vlahovic stretches back to Antonio Conte’s tenure. De Zerbi also liked the idea of building his attack around the powerful 26-year-old, and that admiration remained into this window. But admiration does not win auctions, and Besiktas have put down the kind of financial offer that changes minds.

Reports suggest the Turkish club’s latest improved proposal proved decisive, leaving the deal “virtually done” and Spurs looking elsewhere once more.

So the picture is clear. Vlahovic is slipping away, almost certainly for good. Balogun is firmly in play. Solanke is injured. Richarlison is restless. The window is ticking.

Tottenham have rebuilt their base. Now they need a finisher who can turn a promising project into a ruthless one. Will Balogun be the striker they choose to carry that weight back in north London?