Everton's deadline day pursuit of striker Folarin Balogun collapsed in dramatic fashion, leaving the club frustrated and short of attacking options. The £40m deal fell apart after a medical examination raised concerns that the player and his club, Monaco, strongly disputed.
What happened during the medical?
The 25-year-old United States international underwent a medical at Everton's Finch Farm training ground on Tuesday. Club doctors reportedly found evidence of an injury, a claim both Monaco and Balogun himself refuted, insisting he was fully fit. This disagreement led Everton to attempt a renegotiation of the terms, seeking to include performance-related clauses to mitigate the perceived risk. Feeling poorly treated by the process, Balogun ultimately decided to walk away from the move. Monaco's sporting director, Thiago Scuro, told Sky Sports Football that the player abandoned the transfer due to concerns over Everton's medical doubts. "I'm not feeling well because Everton's medical department brought doubts about my future or my health," Scuro quoted Balogun as saying.
Why was the deal so important for Monaco?
Monaco needed to sell Balogun to help resolve a pressing debt issue. The agreed £40m fee with Everton was a key part of their financial planning. The collapse had a significant ripple effect. Monaco had been close to selling midfielder Lamine Camara to Chelsea for £47m, a deal intended to replace the departed Enzo Fernandez. However, once Everton indicated they would proceed with the Balogun transfer, Monaco pulled the plug on the Camara sale, leaving Chelsea also frustrated on a hectic deadline day.
How does this affect Everton's squad?
The failure to sign Balogun leaves Everton dangerously light up front. The club had already sold striker Beto to Fiorentina for £15.4m earlier on deadline day. That leaves Thierno Barry as the only recognised senior striker in the squad. This shortage comes as Everton prepare for a tough run of fixtures, sitting seventh in the Premier League with four points from two games. They have scored three goals and conceded one so far this season, putting them just two points behind leaders Manchester City. Their next test is a home match against Manchester United on September 6th, a game you can see on our fixtures page.
What were the final moments of the deal?
In a last-ditch effort to salvage the transfer, all parties signed a Deal Sheet to seek a two-hour extension from the Premier League. However, the player's decision was final. Everton's frustration was compounded by Balogun's late arrival on a private flight from France and Monaco's delayed submission of required medical documents. While the window in England is now closed, Balogun could still move to Turkey, where the market remains open until September 4, or to Saudi Arabia, where it closes on October 12. For now, Sean Dyche must prepare his team, currently detailed in our squad list, without the new forward he sought.
