Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images
Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images
Landon Donovan has made some interesting comments about Folarin Balogun, weeks on from his near-move to Everton.
The striker was targeted by the Toffees at the end of the 2026 summer transfer window.
The club had sold Beto to Fiorentina and had agreed a deal to sign Balogun from AS Monaco for around £40 million. Everything looked to be on track, but then reports surfaced in the evening that Everton had reservations about the player’s condition.
A graphic asking Everton fans to rate their start to the 2026/27 season between A* and D. Image shows David Moyes.
A graphic asking Everton fans to rate their start to the 2026/27 season between A* and D. Image shows David Moyes.
Ultimately, this led to Balogun walking away. He was made to feel uncomfortable by Everton’s behaviour.
Monaco’s CEO suggested Everton’s concerns were unnecessary, but Landon Donovan’s comments do perhaps explain why the club acted how they did.
Donovan suggests why Folarin Balogun is out of USMNT squad
We are now in the international break, of course, and Balogun has not been called up to the latest USMNT squad for their upcoming friendly games against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada.
And Donovan has suggested this is because the player is simply not fit, and that Everton’s concerns were to do with his running data.
Tim Howard asked on Unfiltered Soccer: “Go back to Flo real quick. I had a question. So this, dealing with a minor knee injury, is it coincidental that it’s a knee injury or does this have something to do with why Everton pulled out of that deal?
Donovan: “That’s a good question.”
Howard: “And it’s a real question because I don’t know the answer.”
Donovan: “What I had heard behind the scenes was that it was like something to do with his fitness numbers, running numbers, that kind of stuff. That’s what I had heard, but nobody’s come out and explicitly said it.”
“I mean, it’s fair. Maybe he showed up and he was like, look, I need a few weeks here because I have a minor knee injury. It could be.”
Everton went back to Monaco to renegotiate the deal after expressing their concerns, and then obtained a deal sheet from the Premier League to complete the transfer.
But a last-minute change of heart from Balogun – who Mauricio Pochettino wanted to join Everton – saw the move fall through, leaving David Moyes without another centre-forward they really needed.
So far, it hasn’t been too detrimental, with Thierno Barry performing well. But there is great pressure on him, both to score goals and to stay fit.
But with what has come out about Balogun since the move fell through, perhaps it was actually for the best that he didn’t sign.
He only just made his first appearance of the season for Monaco last Friday. So seemingly his fitness has indeed been an issue.