Folarin Balogun: Anthony Hudson reveals the team has ‘had dialogue’ with striker

Folarin Balogun’s recruitment tour has continued in the United States as the striker trained in the Orlando sun and took in an NBA game.

After Wednesday’s post on Instagram showed Balogun outside of an Orlando bar, he posted again with an image of him wearing his football boots sitting on the grass with the caption ‘This heat!’

Balogun is training in the same city the United States men’s national team had been in just hours ago, before the team traveled to Grenada for Friday’s CONCACAF Nations League match against The Spice Boys.

While he was in Orlando, he was seen at an Orlando Magic NBA game against the New York Knicks. The striker met with forward Jonathan Isaac and was given a custom jersey.

USMNT interim manager Anthony Hudson said in a press conference that the team has spoken to the Brooklyn-born, London-raised striker buy they aren’t going to put pressure on him.

Anthony Hudson says that the federation has had ‘dialogue’ with Reims striker Folarin Balogun

After yesterday’s surprise Instagram post, he was spotted training in the Florida heat Thursday

Balogun was also sighted at an Orlando Magic game – where he was given a custom jersey

‘As I said before, we’ve had dialogue we’ve spoken,’ Hudson said. ‘He’s out here, having a bit of a break and some training, and we’ve had some discussions. So yeah, now it’s about him just enjoying the rest of his trip.’

Hudson followed up, saying: ‘It’s been good, because it’s been an opportunity for us just to share about our program and who we are and what we do. 

‘And look, that’s it, I hope we get the chance to speak to him again. So it’s been good to meet him, and I know a few of the guys who have spoke to him as well.’

Christian Pulisic was asked in the same press conference about speaking with Balogun and the winger couldn’t offer much of a response.

‘I’ve seen that he’s in Florida. I haven’t really spoken to him personally,’ Pulisic admitted. 

‘But I know some of the some of the guys that know him from previous teams have reached out to him and spoken to him. 

‘So, obviously, from our side we’d love to have him. Yeah, I haven’t had any conversations with him personally. But hopefully, yeah, hopefully in the near future.’

Some of Balogun’s teammates in the USMNT and at club level are trying to convince him to join

One of those players that want Balogun to join him in the United States is Arsenal keeper Matt Turner, who spoke in a press conference and said that he spoke to Balogun.

‘He’d be a great addition to our national team,’ Turner said of his Arsenal teammate. 

‘I think he’s done really well, obviously, for his club on on loan, and we’ll see, you know, the decision has to come from the heart. 

‘Because it’s not necessarily an easy task always to come and play in these CONCACAF games. And it’s a tough region at times.’