Folarin Balogun travelled to Merseyside late in the summer window and appeared set to join Everton - and he has now revealed why he walked away from the deal
Folarin Balogun walked away from a move to Everton during the summer
Folarin Balogun walked away from a move to Everton during the summer(Image: (GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP via Getty Images))
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Folarin Balogun has claimed his summer move to Everton fell through because of a change to the contract he was offered. The Blues struck a big-money £40m deal for the Monaco forward and allowed Beto to leave for Fiorentina.
However, an issue arose during the forward’s medical, which kick-started a dramatic chain of events. Everton restructured the transfer fee with Monaco to a much lower fee than the one they had agreed upon.
The French side were happy with the new terms and both clubs and Balogun were happy to sign a deal sheet just before the 11pm deadline to complete the move.
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However, an hour later, the former Arsenal striker made it clear he wanted to return to his current club, for whom he has made just seven appearances this season due to injuries.
And now offering his version of events, Balogun claimed: “My point of view was very clear. I haven’t said anything publicly, but I flew to Everton, obviously, with a set contract.
“And then by the time I left, the contract was changed. So, that was the situation, in short. The contract was changed, and then in the end, I didn’t feel comfortable to sign.”
While speaking back in September, Monaco’s sporting director Thiago Scuro told a press conference that the USA international was unhappy with the way he was treated after an issue arose over his medical.
Thiago Scuro of AS Monaco FC during a press conference and a shirt ceremony in AS Monaco training center in La Turbie, France on July 7, 2026. Photo by Laurent Coust/Icon Sport via Getty Images
Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro(Image: Getty Images)
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“Around 7pm, we were contacted by Everton raising questions about Balogun’s medical, which, for our medical staff, as well as for the player’s personal medical staff, made no sense at all,” said Scuro.
“Around 10pm (9pm BST), Everton realised that ‘OK, there is no problem. We are ready to do it. Let’s sign the contract’.
“Five minutes to close the transfer window there, for us to finish all the paperwork between Monaco and Everton and Balo. I signed the contract. Everton signed the contract. At the last moment, the player’s decided not to sign.
“Basically, Balogun’s allegation is that ‘I’m not feeling well because of the way the club treated me. I’m not feeling well because Everton’s medical department raised doubts about my future or my health. I’m not comfortable signing a long contract here’.”
Reacting to the collapse of the transfer, David Moyes said a couple of days after the window shut: "It wasn't anyone's fault and ultimately it happens in football as the player had a problem in his medical and that was simply it.
“There are no other stories behind it. That is exactly what happened."