The Folarin Balogun decision: Will hyped striker choose England or U.S.?

But then Balogun was spotted — not at home in France, recovering from his injury, but abroad. Healthy. In Orlando, Fla. With the U.S. Men's National Team. And with that, the floodgates open.

Could the USMNT — a team in desperate need of a striker — land one of the hottest striking prospects on the planet?

There are plenty of reasons to think that Balogun's change of heart is official.

For one, he's close with Thierry Henry, a man reportedly interested in the USMNT coaching job.

"It's nice to get to know him on a personal level," Balogun told The Athletic about Henry. 

"He knows the feeling and how uncomfortable it can be so I'm asking more general questions about his career and how he felt at certain points. It's light-hearted but allows me to take some good advice from him," Balogun added.

For another, though Balogun is currently on loan at Reims in Ligue 1, he's an Arsenal player, which means he's close with U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner, also an Arsenal player.

"I spoke to Flo. We obviously had most of our preseason together, and I knew he had some roots in the U.S. He'd be a great addition to our national team," Turner told ESPN.

Balogun is one of the strongest players in Ligue 1 at the moment, with 17 goals in 27 appearances. He's fighting with Kylian Mbappé for the Golden Boot. Only 21, he has his whole career ahead of him — and while only time will tell if that career is with the U.S. or England, signs appear to point to the former.

"Go where you're appreciated," Balogun said on Instagram after dropping out of the England camp.

With a clear need for his talents and a home World Cup on the horizon in 2026, the U.S. may well be the place where Balogun feels that appreciation most.