Tottenham are reportedly pivoting to the "USA! USA! USA!" in their striker search, with their net starting to be cast wider as the summer transfer window progresses.
The club has operated with a strict Premier League-exclusive policy off the back of a frightening domestic campaign that almost resulted in relegation. There's seemingly a belief that signing players with top-flight experience mitigates risk, which is a fair assumption, but it does mean we could be missing out on gems from the continent.
Thankfully, our struggles to bolster an attack that desperately needs upgrading means we're turning away from Premier League options.
Spurs were linked with Villarreal's Georges Mikautadze over the weekend, and now rumours are tying us to USMNT centre-forward Folarin Balogun.
Balogun is the latest striker to garner Tottenham links
Balogun was the protagonist in one of the most infamous moments in World Cup history this summer. FIFA's overturning of the striker's red card suspension was a blatant example of political interference, bringing the sport into disrepute.
The USMNT were subsequently trounced in their quarterfinal to Belgium, much to the delight of the rest of the world. Balogun had started the tournament on fire, becoming the first American to score two goals in a single World Cup match since 1930 in their opening game against Paraguay.
Balogun scored three goals before the debacle and has since garnered plenty of transfer interest. Fabrizio Romano reports that Galatasaray and several Saudi clubs have spoken to Monaco about a potential deal.
The Italian journalist also contradicts reports from Spurs insider 'Szy' and L'Equipe, with the latter suggesting that Spurs are "stepping up their pursuit" for the former Arsenal striker. Romano believes there's "nothing concrete or advanced" with us "at this stage".
The guru hasn't had a particularly good window, it must be said, but he's pretty convinced that there's little going on between Spurs and Balogun.
The USMNT striker is an intriguing option and would be a good signing at the right price. He runs the channels doggedly and is a pretty efficient finisher in front of goal. The physical profile's there for Balogun to enjoy Premier League life, and in a relatively thin market, he could be the right man for Spurs.
Some, though, may not regard the 25-year-old as a discernible upgrade on the current options. Is he better than Dominic Solanke when the Englishman's fit? It's close, I'd argue. Balogun has had injury issues, too, although 2025/26 was much better for him on the fitness front.
Whether we end up making a move for the Monaco striker or not, I'm encouraged by the diversification of our striker targets. We're moving away from Premier League exclusivity, opening ourselves up to the new world.
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