When Folarin Balogun shows up for his one‑on‑one training sessions, his coach Saul Isaksson‑Hurst has learned to adapt his approach. While a structured programme can be laid out, Balogun—an intense, analytical player—regularly arrives with his own ideas and requests.
"He’s incredibly serious and highly motivated," Isaksson‑Hurst told Sky Sports. "Sometimes he’ll walk in and say, ‘I want to work on this specific thing.’ He isn’t shy about voicing what he wants to improve.
We usually end up having a dialogue, a back‑and‑forth discussion. "He challenges me just as much as I try to challenge him. It’s a pleasure to work with him because he always brings that mental edge, that drive.
You instantly know you’re training with a top‑class athlete because the intensity is always at 100 per cent." These comments give a glimpse into the mindset of a striker who has taken ownership of his own development. The partnership began after a difficult loan spell at Middlesbrough during Balogun’s teenage years at Arsenal. In that stint he managed only three goals in 18 Championship appearances, a return that could have defined his career if he had allowed it.
"He didn’t want that to be his story. He wanted to improve, to get better," Isaksson‑Hurst explained.
"He’s a very goal‑oriented and ambitious type of person." Their first training block took place that summer, a concentrated few weeks in London focused on honing the attributes of a classic number nine – a poacher with a knack for finishing inside the box. The sessions covered two‑footed shooting, movement patterns, timing of runs and the subtle nuances that separate a good finisher from a great one. Balogun’s subsequent loan to Stade de Reims proved the worth of that extra work. In France he netted 22 goals in 39 games, a prolific strike rate that caught the attention of clubs across Europe.
Now 25, he continues to book sessions with Isaksson‑Hurst during off‑seasons and whenever his club schedule permits, treating each meeting as an opportunity to add marginal gains to his game. His dedication has begun to bear fruit on the biggest stages. After a controversial red card at the World Cup, Balogun still managed to score three goals in the tournament, demonstrating his quality under pressure. Rumours now link him with a return to the Premier League, specifically Everton, three years after his move from Arsenal to Monaco, where he has tallied 31 goals in 91 outings.
Balogun’s career is marked by bold choices. He left the comfort of the English system to experience French football, first on loan at Reims and later permanently with Monaco. He also switched his international allegiance from England to the United States, a decision that underscores his willingness to step outside familiar territory in pursuit of growth.
"He simply wants to compete at the highest level, on the biggest stages possible," says Isaksson‑Hurst, who has worked with several elite players after a stint as an academy coach. A return to England’s top flight would thrust him back into the limelight. "I don’t think he would crumble under that pressure. In fact, I think he would thrive.
That’s exactly what he seeks – the challenge, the spotlight, the chance to prove he belongs among the world’s best strikers. That’s why he constantly looks for extra work, those marginal improvements that can elevate him to the next tier." Balogun’s form at the World Cup was an extension of an impressive scoring run at Monaco, where he finished the season with 11 goals in 14 matches, highlighted by a brace against Paris Saint‑Germain in the Champions League.
Yet his journey has not been without setbacks. Since his £35 million transfer from Arsenal in 2023, he has dealt with injuries and periods where he struggled to secure a regular starting berth.
Nevertheless, his track record shows a pattern of overcoming adversity. Former Arsenal academy staff remember him as a tireless worker, and his former Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder and assistant Alan Knill praised his mental resilience despite the challenges he faced during that loan spell. "It’s part of the game," observes Isaksson‑Hurst. "Those challenges were exactly what he needed to develop and, hopefully, become one of the world’s elite forwards." Over the years, the coach has watched Balogun’s mentality harden and mature.
While the raw talent of a natural finisher was always evident, the refinement of his timing, movement, box‑entry runs and link‑up play has been equally important. "He’s always had that innate finishing instinct, but he’s worked hard to polish it and broaden other aspects of his game.
Watching him evolve from a raw youngster into a focused professional has been striking. He reached out to me initially because he wanted more – more work, more improvement." In their most recent training block, Isaksson‑Hurst noted Balogun’s unwavering focus on becoming one of the premier number nines in world football, willing to put in the necessary work to prove his worth at the highest level.
That mindset has kept him on course even when circumstances turned difficult. Moreover, his profile as a classic poacher—someone who thrives inside the opponent’s penalty area—is increasingly rare in modern football, where many teams favour versatile forwards who drift wide. Everton’s interest underscores a broader need for a reliable goal‑scorer.
As Isaksson‑Hurst put it, "Scoring is the hardest thing to do in football, but his ability to finish with both feet and his aerial prowess is exceptional. Not many strikers combine those traits." "Many modern ‘number nines’ are actually wingers or attacking midfielders masquerading as strikers.
Flo is a genuine fox in the box; give him a half‑yard and he’ll punish you. That’s what sets him apart." When ambition meets natural finishing ability, the result is a dangerous combination. Balogun’s relentless drive, coupled with his innate goal‑scoring talent, positions him as a striker capable of thriving in any top‑level league, and perhaps soon back in the Premier League where his talents can be showcased on the biggest stage.