Folarin Balogun: Do Arsenal have a buy-back clause for USA World Cup star after £34.2m transfer?

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·13 de junho de 2026

Folarin Balogun: Do Arsenal have a buy-back clause for USA World Cup star after £34.2m transfer?

Former Arsenal striker played a major role as USA thrashed Paraguay in World Cup opener

Folarin Balogun has made an impact on the biggest stage possible in football.

Vídeos OneFootball

After seven games at the 2026 World Cup, no player had scored more goals than the former Arsenal striker as he netted a brace in United States’ 4-1 win over Paraguay on Saturday morning (UK time).

In doing so, Balogun has become just the second American to score twice in a World Cup match - ironically Bert Patenaude was first to achieve the feat when he scored all three goals in a 3-0 win over Paraguay in 1930.

The 24-year-old’s route to the World Cup has been an interesting one. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Balogun was also eligible to play for Nigeria through his parents as well as England having grown up in London.

In fact, he represented England at U21 level, scoring seven goals in 13 appearances but in March 2023, Balogun made the decision to switch his international allegiance from England to USA.

FIFA approved the striker’s application a few months before he left Arsenal on a permanent transfer, signing for AS Monaco following an impressive loan spell at Reims during the 2022-23 campaign.

Folarin Balogun was an Arsenal player until the summer of 2023

Getty

Balogun has since detailed the circumstances behind his exit from Arsenal, citing he was told that Mikel Arteta was not behind the decision to move him on.

"He didn't really say much, he just said that when I came back he just said well done, and he encouraged me to keep going,” Balogun explained to ESPN.

“Then me coming back in a pre-season, it was just more about me seeing whether I fit into his plans and seeing if I can continue to play some games.

“He said that he would try to get me involved as best as he could, but of course he also told me that the people higher up were making decisions on me and seeing what would be best for me.

“So the conversations between me and him were good, but it was more about the club, what they wanted to do.”

Do Arsenal have a buy-back clause for Balogun?

Simply put, no. Arsenal did not insert a buy-back clause in the deal, understood to be worth €40million (£34.2million), taking Balogun to Monaco in the summer of 2023.

However, the Gunners did include a sell-on clause which will see them bank £17.5 per cent of any future transfer should the USMNT striker be sold by the French club for a fee before his contract expires.

So while a return to the Emirates Stadium is unlikely, if Balogun continues to impress at the World Cup, he could end up securing a timely windfall for his former club.