Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
In one of the most extraordinary twists of a dramatic transfer deadline day, Everton’s £40 million move for United States international Folarin Balogun collapsed after the striker dramatically rejected the Premier League side, citing discomfort over how he was treated during a medical examination at the club’s Finch Farm training base. The 25-year-old Monaco forward, who had emerged as David Moyes’ primary attacking target following the departures of Beto and Iliman Ndiaye, flew to Merseyside on Tuesday morning expecting to complete a club-record move. Instead, he left without signing, leaving Everton with just one senior striker and sending shockwaves through the transfer market.
The saga began promisingly enough. Everton had agreed a £40 million deal with Monaco for Balogun, who scored 19 goals in 43 appearances for the French club last season. The United States international, who still has 12 goals from 31 caps for his country, arrived at Finch Farm on Tuesday morning to undergo the routine medical examination that would pave the way for a long-term contract. But what should have been a formality quickly descended into chaos. According to Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro, Everton raised concerns about Balogun’s medical at around 7 pm local time. “For our medical staff and for the player’s personal medical staff, there was no sense in those concerns. The explanations were not enough to justify any concerns about the player’s future or health,” Scuro told BBC Sport.
What followed was a frantic two-to-three-hour consultation between the medical departments of both clubs, as Everton’s doctors sought second opinions and reviewed scans. Crucially, Scuro revealed that by approximately 8 pm Monaco time—around 7 pm in the UK—Everton had concluded there was no issue after all and were ready to proceed with the signing. The clubs renegotiated the structure of the deal, with Everton agreeing to slightly improved conditions for the player and Monaco regarding the payment structure. Both clubs signed a deal sheet—a document that secures an extra two-hour grace period past the 11 pm deadline—to complete the transfer.
But then came the final, devastating twist. With the contract waiting to be signed, Balogun refused. “At the last moment, the player decided not to sign,” Scuro said. “Basically, Balogun’s position was, ‘I’m not feeling comfortable with the way the club treated me. I’m not comfortable with the doubts raised about my future or my health. I have no issue, so I’m not comfortable signing a contract here.’” The Monaco chief was unequivocal in his assessment: Everton’s handling of the medical had alienated the player to the point of no return. “The allegation of Balogun is that, ‘I’m not feeling well by the way the club treated me, the way the medical team brought doubts about my future or my health. I’m not comfortable to sign a long contract here’,” Scuro confirmed.
The collapse leaves Everton in a precarious position. Having allowed Beto to join Fiorentina and Iliman Ndiaye to move to Manchester City for a combined fee exceeding £60 million, Moyes now has only Thierno Barry as his sole recognised senior striker. The Toffees had explored late moves for Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee and Aston Villa’s Tammy Abraham, but were unable to convince either to join. They did, however, secure the return of Jack Grealish on a season-long loan from Manchester City—a deal that now takes on added significance given the void left by Balogun’s rejection.
The repercussions extend beyond Goodison Park. Monaco had been counting on Balogun’s sale to balance their books and had reluctantly opened the door to Chelsea’s pursuit of midfielder Lamine Camara only after concerns over Balogun’s medical emerged. With Balogun staying put, Monaco pulled the plug on Camara’s £47 million move to Stamford Bridge—a decision that left Chelsea furious after they had already sold Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City for £125 million. Arsenal, meanwhile, will miss out on a 17.5 per cent sell-on clause from the £40 million deal, a significant financial blow.
For Balogun, the decision marks the latest chapter in a turbulent year. The striker made global headlines at the 2026 World Cup when his red card suspension was controversially overturned by FIFA following an intervention from US President Donald Trump. He scored twice in the USMNT’s opening win over Paraguay and again in the last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina before his sending-off. Now, he returns to Monaco, where he remains under contract, but with his relationship with the club uncertain given their eagerness to sell. Scuro insisted Monaco respected Balogun’s decision. “Regarding Everton, we had to respect his decision. We did our work as a club. We found solutions, challenged the medical assessment and worked through the issues,” he said. “When Balogun told us he was not comfortable and did not want to sign, we were not in a position to push him. We had to respect that.”
For Everton, the search for a striker goes on. The transfer window may have slammed shut, but the consequences of this extraordinary collapse will be felt for months to come.
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