The 25-year-old impressed for the co-hosts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending the tournament as the USMNT’s top scorer with three goals, before their eventual elimination by Belgium.
However, there was also controversy, with Balogun a focus of fan concern during the tournament, although it was through no fault of his own.
He received a red card in the 2-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina, only to have it ‘suspended’ by FIFA after Donald Trump intervened with a phone call to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.
Balogun's World Cup exploits came on the back of scoring a career-best 21 goals at Monaco in 2025/26, but despite being offered the chance to discuss a deal, reports from Mail Sport claim Spurs have decided to look elsewhere in their pursuit of a new striker ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Roberto De Zerbi has spent big in recent weeks, but the majority of his outlay has been in defence and midfield, and the Italian wants more firepower as he continues to track Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford as an option.