American striker Folarin Balogun recently disclosed that he came close to signing for Tottenham Hotspur before ultimately deciding to join Arsenal during his youth development.
In an interview with JD Sports, Balogun explained that at one point, he was simultaneously on trial with both North London clubs, training with Tottenham from Monday to Thursday and Arsenal over the weekends.
He revealed that the final decision to join Arsenal was influenced by his family, who believed that the Gunners provided a better path for his future growth.
The 23-year-old forward said:
“That is true. I was at Tottenham and Arsenal at the same time, and I was on trial with both teams. I was training Monday to Thursday with Tottenham and Friday to Sunday with Arsenal.
“It was an intense schedule, but in the end me and my family decided that Arsenal will be a better fit for me, and it worked out excellently.”
The decision proved successful, as Balogun rose through the ranks of Arsenal’s academy, scoring 38 goals for the U18s and 37 goals for the U21s. He eventually made his senior debut for the club in a Europa League match in 2020. (Transfermakrt)
However, despite showing early promise, Balogun found regular first-team opportunities at Arsenal limited, which led to loan spells at Middlesbrough and later at French club Reims.
His time at Reims during the 2022-23 season was particularly noteworthy, as he enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, netting 21 goals in Ligue 1. His impressive performances garnered attention from several top European clubs.
In August last year, Balogun completed a transfer to AS Monaco for a reported fee of €30 million, marking the next big step in his career and further solidifying his reputation as a rising star in European football.
While Tottenham missed out on signing Balogun in his early years, his successful rise through Arsenal’s ranks and his standout season in France demonstrate what could have been for Spurs if the deal had gone their way.
