‘It’ll be good to be back there’ – Monaco’s Folarin Balogun on impending Arsenal return

Folarin Balogun (23) came through the ranks at Arsenal but never established himself in the first-team set-up, despite an explosive season on loan at Stade de Reims. He wasn’t integrated into Mikel Arteta’s set-up upon his return, instead, he was sold to AS Monaco. 

After a season of adaptation at the Principality club, he enjoyed a bright start to the current campaign, netting three goals in just six games before a shoulder injury, suffered against Stade Rennais at the start of October, halted his progress. However, the USMNT forward made his long-awaited return from a dislocated shoulder in Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League encounter against Benfica, which ended in a narrow 3-2 loss for Les Monégasques. 

There were doubts whether Balogun would even be fit to face his formative club, Arsenal, on 11th December. However, he will, all being well, now get the chance to face his former side with Monaco just one place behind the Gunners in the Champions League ranking. 

“It’ll be good to be back there. It’s the place where I was raised and developed as a footballer. I have a lot of appreciation for them but we have important games before then so I’m focused on them,” Balogun told UEFA post-match.