When Folarin Balogun shows up for his one‑on‑one training sessions, his coach Saul Isaksson‑Hurst has learned to adopt a flexible approach. While a structured plan can be laid out, Balogun’s intense, analytical nature means he often 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’s never shy about voicing what he wants to improve. We’ll discuss it, bounce ideas back and forth, and adjust the session accordingly." "He challenges me just as much as I try to challenge him.
It’s a privilege to work with someone who brings that level of intensity and mindset. You instantly know you’re training with a top‑class player because everything is done at 100 percent." This exchange offers a window into the psyche of a footballer who has taken ownership of his 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 result that could have defined his trajectory. Instead, he refused to let the setback dictate his future.
"He wanted to do more, to get better," Isaksson‑Hurst explained. "He’s a very goal‑oriented and aspirational individual." Their first intensive sessions took place that summer in London, focusing on the attributes that make a classic number nine – a poacher with a keen sense of timing, two‑footed finishing, and intelligent movement inside the box.
The coach worked on his runs, his positioning, and his ability to finish with both feet and his head. Balogun’s subsequent loan to Stade de Reims proved the value of that extra work. In France he netted 22 goals in 39 games, a striking turnaround from his earlier spell in England. At 25, he continues to book regular sessions with Isaksson‑Hurst during off‑seasons and breaks, treating the extra training as a non‑negotiable part of his routine.
His dedication has yielded tangible rewards. After a controversial red card at the World Cup, Balogun still managed to score three goals in the tournament, demonstrating his quality on the biggest stage. He is now being linked with a Premier League return to Everton, three years after leaving Arsenal for Monaco, where he has already recorded 31 goals in 91 appearances.
Balogun’s career is defined by bold choices. He stepped out of his comfort zone by moving to France, first on loan at Reims, and later by switching his international allegiance from England to the United States.
"He simply wants to compete at the highest level possible, on the biggest stage," says Isaksson‑Hurst, who has worked with several elite players after a stint as an academy coach. A move back to England would thrust him back into the spotlight, but his coach believes the pressure will not hinder him. "I don’t see him struggling under that pressure.
In fact, he thrives on it. That’s exactly what he seeks – the challenge, the marginal gains, the chance to become the best striker he can be." Balogun’s form at the World Cup was a continuation of a prolific spell at Monaco, where he finished the season with 11 goals in 14 games, highlighted by a brace against Paris Saint‑Germain in the Champions League. Yet his journey has not been without obstacles.
Since his £35 million transfer from Arsenal in 2023, he has faced injuries and periods where he struggled to cement a starting place. Nevertheless, he has a long‑standing reputation for overcoming adversity.
Former Arsenal academy staff remember him as a tireless worker, while at Middlesbrough his then‑manager Chris Wilder and assistant Alan Knill were impressed by his mental resilience despite the challenges he faced there. "It’s part of the game," Isaksson‑Hurst notes. "He needed those challenges to develop and, hopefully, become one of the world’s best players." Over the years, the coach has observed a hardening of Balogun’s mentality, which he describes as the most striking element of his evolution.
"He always had raw talent, a natural finishing instinct. He’s refined that skill and expanded other facets of his game – timing, movement, link‑up play, the way he arrives in the box." "Watching him progress from a young prospect to the player he is now, his ambition has always stood out.
He reached out to me initially because he wanted more. In our recent sessions, his focus and seriousness were evident – he wants to be one of the best number nines in world football and is willing to put in the work to prove it at the highest level." That mindset has kept him on track even when circumstances turned difficult. Balogun benefits from being a classic ‘fox in the box’, a profile that is increasingly rare in modern top‑level football, where many teams favor versatile forwards who drift wide.
Everton, like several other clubs, are hungry for a reliable goal scorer. "Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in football," adds Isaksson‑Hurst. "Balogun’s ability with both feet and his aerial prowess is exceptional. Not many number nines possess that combination.
Many players labeled as number nines are actually wingers or attacking midfielders playing out of position. Flo is a genuine number nine, a natural finisher.
Give him a half‑yard of space and he will punish you. That’s what sets him apart." When paired with his relentless ambition, this blend of natural finishing talent and cultivated mentality makes Balogun a dangerous prospect for any club. His journey illustrates how self‑driven improvement, strategic coaching, and the willingness to step outside comfort zones can forge a path to the top of the beautiful game.