Folarin Balogun Abandons £40m Everton Move After Midnight Deadline

USMNT forward Folarin Balogun rejected a £40 million move to Everton after a deal sheet was submitted during a two-hour post-deadline window.

Folarin Balogun’s £40 million ($54m) transfer from Monaco to Everton collapsed after the 25-year-old USMNT forward pulled the plug on the deal following the official 2300 BST transfer deadline. Despite Everton submitting a formal deal sheet to the Premier League to secure an additional two-hour window for completion, the former Arsenal and Middlesbrough player experienced a post-midnight change of heart. The failed move leaves manager David Moyes without new attacking reinforcements after the club had already sanctioned the departures of forwards Beto and Iliman Ndiaye on the same day.

Balogun had traveled to Merseyside on deadline day to finalize the agreement between the two clubs. The transaction encountered its first hurdle at Everton’s Finch Farm base, where an unspecified issue emerged during the player's medical examination. This complication forced Monaco and Everton back to the negotiating table to restructure the terms of the £40 million agreement. While these discussions were ongoing, Everton officials attempted to secure Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee on a loan basis, though that secondary pursuit ultimately failed.

Deadline Day Roster Vacancies

The collapse of the Balogun deal is compounded by significant outgoings from the Everton squad. Iliman Ndiaye departed for Manchester City in a permanent move valued at £65 million. Additionally, the club offloaded Beto, further thinning the options available to David Moyes. Although the Toffees successfully secured Jack Grealish on a loan deal from Manchester City, the failure to land Balogun leaves the frontline depleted. The club is now restricted to searching the free agent market to bolster their offensive ranks before the next registration window.

Renegotiations and the Deal Sheet

Sources told ESPN that the transfer was resurrected in the final hours of the window despite the medical concerns. By utilizing the Premier League’s deal sheet mechanism, Everton gained until 0100 BST to finalize the paperwork for the Monaco striker. The agreement had reached a stage where a £40 million fee was settled, yet the player chose to walk away from the transfer and return to France after the clock passed midnight. This late U-turn occurred after the two clubs had already reached a consensus on the revised valuation following the Finch Farm medical assessment.

Impact on Moyes' Squad Depth

David Moyes now faces the remainder of the 2026 campaign without the USMNT international, who remains a Monaco player. The Everton manager must rely on the existing squad members, including the newly arrived Grealish, to fill the void left by Ndiaye and Beto. Because the transfer window has officially closed, the only remaining pathway for adding personnel is through the signing of unattached players. Balogun’s decision to return to Monaco marks the end of a protracted deadline day saga that saw the player undergo medical testing and the club submit emergency paperwork to the league authorities.