By OkayGoal
Folarin Balogun remained in France for the first half of the Ligue 1 season but could reportedly be on the way to Italy this winter.
Juventus is targeting Balogun as a potential winter reinforcement, Italian outlet Tuttosport reported Tuesday. Balogun has two seasons left on his current Monaco contract, which is scheduled to expire in June 2028.
Balogun originally looked set to join English Premier League club Everton in September but reportedly walked away from the club’s training facility after undergoing a medical. Everton was worried about Balogun’s medical history following his involvement at the FIFA World Cup, believing that the American forward was not 100%.
Balogun later declined the move and returned to Monaco, where he’s been reduced to only four appearances so far this season. A slight injury hampered Balogun’s start of the campaign, before he was later not included in the Ligue 1 side’s UEFA Conference League roster.
The 25-year-old moved to Monaco from Arsenal ahead of the 2023-24 season and has tallied 31 goals in 95 appearances since. Balogun’s 19 goals last season earned him Monaco’s Player of the Season award before he later scored three goals for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the World Cup.
A move for Balogun would give the Bianconeri a boost at the striker position while also teaming him up with international teammate Weston McKennie. McKennie is in the midst of his seventh season with Juventus, remaining a vital player in the squad.
Monaco sits fourth in the Ligue 1 table, two points behind league-leading Paris Saint-Germain after eight matches played.