Tottenham Hotspur have signed two defenders for free to start the 2026 summer transfer window, and whlie they are focused on Premier League standouts Savinho and Jan Paul van Hecke as their next two targets, they are going to need to broaden their horizons and find more potential buys this summer to upgrade a squad that finished 17th in the Premier League in back to back seasons.
So Spurs will be watching with great interest which players have breakouts at the 2026 World Cup, and in their statement making 4-1 opening win over Paraguay, the USMNT provided Spurs with a transfer target whom they were linked to a couple of years ago, Monaco striker Folarin Balogun.
The USMNT No. 9 scored twice to lead his team to victory as the standout player on the pitch, constantly drawing fouls and getting into goal scoring positions. Balogun has been an excellent Ligue 1 striker for a couple of years now at multiple teams, stepping into the spotlight for one of the best teams in the league in Monaco.
Folarin Balogun might be a good fit for Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur have been monitoring his teammate, winger Maghnes Akliouche, for a year now, and the Frenchman should still be a key target for Spurs this summer despite now strong links to PSG. However, Tottenham need a striker who can score goals and stretch the field more, and Folarin Balogun would be an upgrade over what they have between Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani - and he is definitely a better scoring threat than the more stagnant Dominic Solanke.
Balogun can be inconsistent, but a return of 13 goals in 26 Ligue 1 starts is not bad at all, and his 4 assists and 1.2 fouls drawn per game for Monaco show that his all around game, while not at Solanke's level, is beyond the other strikers who played for Tottenham last season.
Under a more attacking and aggressive manager in new USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, Balogun can truly thrive in transition and benefit from more quick scoring opportunities. He is a player who uses his body well and steps up in the big games, and the way he performed in the big 4-1 USMNT win over Paraguay highlighted that further.
Tottenham are going to have to sign at least one striker this summer transfer window - and preferably two to replace both Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani. Folarin Balogun is 24 years old and not yet in his prime as a No. 9, and Spurs will be watching the rest of his World Cup tournament with great interest.
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