With US striker Balogun sidelined, Monaco needs another forward. Kolo Muani could be a solution

By: Samuel Petrequin, The Associated Press Posted: 9:04 AM CST Monday, Dec. 16, 2024

With United States striker Folarin Balogun injured, Monaco is in need of more firepower up front.

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With United States striker Folarin Balogun injured, Monaco is in need of more firepower up front.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/12/2024 (639 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With United States striker Folarin Balogun injured, Monaco is in need of more firepower up front.

The team has been showing signs of fatigue in recent weeks, both in the French league and the Champions League.

It has failed to score in its past couple of matches, a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal in Europe’s top competition and a goalless draw at Reims over the weekend in the French league.

Monaco's Folarin Balogun, center, Benfica's Orkun Kokcu, left, and Nicolas Otamendi fight for the ball during a Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Louis II stadium in Monaco, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

The Monaco squad is filled with young talented players but has only two strikers available at the moment, Breel Embolo and George Ilenikhena.

Balogun will undergo surgery on his recently dislocated shoulder on Tuesday and Monaco coach Adi Hütter said he will be out of action for about four months.

Speaking ahead of his team’s final French league game of the year against leader Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, Hütter said he is looking for an extra striker in January.

“It’s necessary that we have our eyes open,” he told reporters. “This is our job to take a look at the transfer market.”

Asked whether France forward Randal Kolo Muani — who is being used sparingly by PSG coach Luis Enrique — could be the right option, Hütter said, chuckling, “it sounds good.”

“But you have to be honest,” he added. “We have to find a good solution for the second period of the season. Which striker, we don’t know exactly now. We have some profiles. We have to find someone who scores goals.”

Hütter, who previously coached teams in Germany, said he followed Kolo Muani when the forward played for Frankfurt.

“He scored lots of goals, he was really, really, really good there,” he said. “He is a profile, maybe. But there are lots of other things. He is for sure not the cheapest one.”

Monaco is level on points with second-place Marseille in the French league standings, seven points behind leader PSG.

“Of course we want to win this game against Paris, but for this we need a perfect day,” the coach insisted. “They are unbeaten in Ligue 1, they are the favorites for this game. We are able to win against Paris but for this we need a top, top, top performance.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer