An injury to Monaco’s main striker has opened up a great chance for 18-year-old George Ilenikhena to make a name for himself.
Balogun, who had scored in three consecutive games, dislocated his shoulder against Rennes on October 5 and is expected to be out for about two months.
Monaco will play 12 matches before the winter break, including a Champions League game against Balogun’s former team, Arsenal.
Monaco coach Adi Hütter will likely ask Ilenikhena to take the lead in the attack, starting with the home game against Lille on Friday, where Ilenikhena aims to score his first league goal for Monaco.
Ilenikhena was born in Nigeria and moved to France when he was three years old. He played for a local club in the Paris suburbs called Antony before joining Amiens, where he played in the second-tier French league two seasons ago.
Last season, while playing for Royal Antwerp in Belgium, Ilenikhena scored 14 goals across all competitions, including a last-minute winner against Barcelona in the Champions League.
He impressed at Antwerp with his ability to make deep runs and play with his back to goal, along with a good instinct in the penalty area.
Monaco had been keeping an eye on him for a while and signed the left-footed striker for 18.75 million euros ($20.4 million) during the offseason, primarily as a backup for U.S. forward Folarin Balogun.
Ilenikhena was sought after by other clubs and had long discussions with Hütter before joining, saying he was impressed by the plans Hütter shared with him.
“Monaco is a very ambitious club and I’m a very ambitious player,” Ilenikhena said when he was introduced. “I’ll take everything the coach gives me, and I’ll be ready whenever he needs me.”
So far this season, Ilenikhena’s only goal was also a winner against Barcelona in the Champions League. His second-half finish was particularly impressive, as he sprinted onto a pass, outran the defense, and scored with a powerful shot.
