Folarin Balogun will spend the rest of the season with Monaco after all, following the sudden collapse of a big-money transfer to Everton on deadline day. Reports from Ben Jacobs of Give Me Sport indicate that Balogun failed his medical, which then led Everton to attempt a renegotiation. Ultimately, the American forward chose to walk away from the revised terms rather than push the move through.
Why the Folarin Balogun Monaco Deal Collapsed
Multiple outlets reported that Monaco and Everton had struck an agreement worth roughly €45 million ($52.3 million), plus as much as €5 million ($5.8 million) in add-ons. Balogun had also reportedly accepted personal terms on a four-year contract with a one-year option. However, once the medical raised concerns, Everton moved to adjust the deal, and Balogun subsequently decided against joining. As a result, he remains with the Ligue 1 club instead of returning to the Premier League. In a related development, Everton also reached an agreement to bring back Manchester City winger Jack Grealish for another loan spell, according to several reports.
What’s Next for the Folarin Balogun Monaco Return
Balogun had a standout campaign for Monaco last season, scoring 19 goals and providing five assists across all competitions, including nine goals in the club’s final 12 matches. Even so, Monaco finished seventh, while Balogun ended the year fourth in Ligue 1’s scoring charts. His club form followed a breakout World Cup for the USMNT, where he scored three goals despite controversy over a red card during a win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. That run helped the United States post its largest World Cup victory and register its first knockout-stage win in more than two decades. Consequently, a return to England, where Balogun grew up and began his career at Arsenal before moving to France in 2023, will have to wait. Meanwhile, other USMNT players have already landed transfers after the World Cup, including Sebastian Berhalter, who joined Middlesbrough from the Vancouver Whitecaps, and Max Arfsten, who followed him a week later.
