Folarin Balogun’s return to the English Premier League will have to wait until 2027. According to multiple reports in Europe, the U.S. men’s World Cup striker’s widely expected $50 million-plus move from French Ligue 1 team Monaco to Prem mainstay Everton has collapsed in the final hours of European soccer’s summer transfer window. Everton reportedly submitted a deal sheet to the Premier League to give the club a two-hour transfer deadline extension to finalize a move for the United States men’s national team forward, but Balogun ultimately decided against the move after the deal was renegotiated.
The two clubs had agreed on the fee and Balogun to what was surely a significant salary bump. Balogun had been given permission by Monaco to travel to the blue side of Liverpool on Tuesday to complete his "medical" — the routine but nonetheless required physical examination that is almost always a formality for some of the world’s best conditioned athletes. The 25-year-old New York-born, London-raised 25-year-old sat out much of Monaco’s preseason with what was thought to be a minor injury he first sustained at the World Cup.
Balogun scored three goals in four games — including the winner in a knockout stage victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina before the Americans were eliminated by Belgium in the round of 16. He also found himself at the center of an international controversy after President Trump asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino for global soccer's governing body to review the red card that would’ve kept him out of the co-hosts round of 16 match against Belgium. FIFA suspended the suspension, allowing Balogun to play, though the U.S. lost 4-1.
Another report, from the highly respected French daily sports newspaper L’Equipe, said that the holdup was caused by Everton needing to first finalize the sale of Senegalese forward Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester City. Ndiaye's transfer was finalized, but Balogun's wasn't. Staying at Monaco until the January transfer window opens wouldn’t be the worst thing for Balogun or the U.S. national team if that’s how this shakes out, though the club will miss out on the UEFA Champions League this season after finishing seventh in France’s top flight last term.
Balogun was a hot commodity this summer after his breakout performance for the Stars and Stripes, having also drawn interest from Champions League participants Aston Villa and Spanish champions Barcelona, per reports. Everton, which was suddenly left shorthanded up top after sending veteran forward Beto to Italian side Fiorentina on Tuesday, could also circle back on Balogun in the new year. The American would be an ideal supplement to 6-foot-5 target man Thierno Barry under Toffees manager David Moyes.
The Gunners product shouldn’t need much time to adapt to life on the blue side of Liverpool, or to the physicality of the Prem, as Balogun made 10 first team appearances for Arsenal over parts of two seasons. In his three years in Monaco, Balogun has scored 31 goals, including 29 in 85 Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League matches. If healthy, Balogun is expected to be included on USA coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad for home exhibition games later this month against Chile and Peru and in early October vs. regional foes Canada and Mexico.
