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Tottenham offered chance to sign ex-Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun after World Cup storm Tottenham have been offered the opportunity to strengthen their strike force in the transfer market as Roberto De Zerbi continues to improve his squad Tottenham have been offered United States international Folarin Balogun. The striker's representatives are said to have reached out to Spurs directly with a proposal for the former Arsenal youngster. Balogun, who was at the centre of a FIFA World Cup scandal after his red-card punishment was suspended following communication between US President Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino, is said to be available for a 'competitive fee'. The Monaco forward has an uncertain role in the Ligue 1 side's long-term plans, and his availability makes him an attractive option following the intermediaries' approach, per the Sun. A deal would still require Monaco to do business for the 25-year-old who scored 19 goals in 43 matches for Les Monegasques. Balogun joined the Principality club in 2023, having come through the youth ranks at Arsenal. If Tottenham were to agree a deal with Monaco, they would face their north London rivals benefiting from a 17.5% sell-on clause. The goalscorer looked set to be one of the stars of the World Cup in the United States after bagging three goals in four World Cup matches. His efforts were overshadowed by the controversy surrounding his sending off during the competition. Balogun was sent off in the round of 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina after accidentally hitting the back of Tarik Muharemovic's leg with his studs. It was only after VAR intervened that Balogun was given his marching orders, but the drama did not end there. The forward was permitted to play in the next round against Belgium when his expected ban was suspended for a year. The move came after pressure was piled on from the host nation, including from Trump and his administration. While Balogun's inclusion could not prevent the United States from crashing out of the tournament, the decision came in for some severe criticism. "I think it's an absolute disgrace, I really do," said Wayne Rooney on punditry duty for the BBC. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page "I know it's UEFA but I got a three-game ban before Euro 2012. I was due to miss the three group games and I got told if I went over to Switzerland and did a training session with a bunch of kids, my third game would get taken off. I agreed to do it because I didn't want a three-game ban but I thought that was wrong. "For this to be suspended, they either take the red card away, which is probably the right decision, and then he can play. But to suspend it for a year? I think it's an absolute disgrace. Infantino should be ashamed of this. "The sportsmanship of this game is in question here. If I'm USA's opponent, I'd be absolutely fuming. It's wrong in every way. If you're an England player tonight or a Mexican player, and you get a red card, do you expect to be playing the next game? Where does it stop?" Posting after the tournament, Balogun reflected on his nation's campaign and apologised to fans in the United States. He was not drawn on the controversy he had been embroiled in, however. He wrote: "My debut World Cup...It hurts to wait 4 years to compete at the highest level our sport has to offer. I want to say sorry to our fans it was not good enough when it mattered most and we let you down. "Soccer in America will only become bigger the belief, the talent, and the passion is continually growing and I know the best days are in front of us, the future belongs to those who never stop believing, this moment will fuel us. We will be back. Why not us? For the nation. For the flag." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky's Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season with more than 1,400 live games across the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts. Every subscription now comes with 135 channels alongside free subscriptions to HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu.