Folarin Balogun may have come up through the ranks of London giants Arsenal but it is another of the Gunners’ major rivals that have reportedly opened talks for his services. Tottenham have opened talks with Ligue 1 side Monaco over a €60 million deal ($69.25) for Balogun, French outlet L’Equipe reported Tuesday. Spurs have joined fellow EPL side Newcastle United as the leading clubs to try and acquire Balogun prior to the Summer Transfer Window’s closure on September 1. Balogun made the move to Monaco from Arsenal back in August 2023 and is heading into his fourth season with the Principality club. After tallying 12 goals in his first two seasons with Monaco, Balogun registered 19 goals in all competitions last campaign, the second-most in a single-season for his career.Balogun’s 22 goals with Stade Reims in 2022-23 marked the most for him at club level. A former England youth national team player, Balogun switched his allegiance to the United States in 2023. He’s scored 12 times in 31 caps for the USMNT, which featured three goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Tottenham fought off relegation from the Premier League last season and Roberto De Zerbi has continued to bolster the squad for a major bounce-back this season. Marcos Senesi, Jan Paul van Hecke, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes have been some of the key acquisitions brought in by De Zerbi this summer. Should Tottenham get a deal done in the coming week, Balogun could make his club and Premier League debut on August 22 against Brentford.