The dramatic U-turn also torpedoed a separate deal sending midfielder Lamine Camara to Chelsea.
What was supposed to be the marquee deadline-day addition for David Moyes turned into a chaotic sequence that left multiple Premier League clubs scrambling. Everton had reached an agreement with Monaco on August 31 for a package worth €45 million (£39m, $52m) fixed, plus €5 million in add-ons, according to reporting from The Athletic. Balogun landed on a private jet at Liverpool John Lennon Airport on Tuesday lunchtime, ready to finalize his switch and step into the role vacated by Beto’s permanent departure to Fiorentina.
Medical Disagreements and the U-Turn at Finch Farm
Trouble began brewing during the afternoon medical checks at Everton’s Finch Farm training ground.
Monaco’s chief executive, Thiago Scuro, expressed stark frustration with the inquiries during a press conference. As consultations dragged on, news leaked into the media that Balogun was failing his medical examination.
“During the day, we had a clear agreement for Balogun to go to Everton, Balogun flew yesterday morning to go for medicals and sign a contract.”
Thiago Scuro, CEO, AS Monaco
Despite the initial friction, Everton resolved their internal concerns later that evening. Both clubs signed the contracts, but the player himself refused to put pen to paper.
“At the last moment, the player decided not to sign. And basically, the allegation of Balogun is that, ‘I’m not feeling well by the way the club treated me, the way the medical team brought doubts about my future or my health. I’m not comfortable to sign a long contract here’.”
Thiago Scuro, CEO, AS Monaco
The Chelsea and Lamine Camara Domino Effect
The breakdown of Balogun’s transfer instantly rippled across Europe, derailing a separate high-profile agreement involving Stamford Bridge.
While Monaco originally wanted to retain Camara, the club opened negotiations with Chelsea around 8 p.m. on deadline day as Balogun’s initial medical snag threatened to block their expected cash flow (MyKhel).
However, when Everton eventually signaled that they were ready to proceed with the Balogun transfer, Monaco prioritized keeping their finances balanced through the American striker’s sale and abruptly pulled the plug on Camara’s move to west London.
Squad Fallout for Everton, Monaco, and Cruz Azul
The chaotic finale left multiple squads scrambling to adjust for the months ahead. Everton manager David Moyes watched Beto depart for Fiorentina earlier in the day expecting Balogun to step straight into the attack, only to be left with Thierno Barry as his sole senior center-forward option after late loan pursuits for Joshua Zirkzee and Tammy Abraham also fell through (Teamtalk).
Monaco experienced a dual setback, missing out on the €45 million windfall from Merseyside while simultaneously retaining Camara. The collapsed sales also impacted Mexican midfielder Erik Lira, whose proposed move to Monaco fell through because the club failed to free up a non-EU player slot after Balogun remained on the roster (MyKhel).
Balogun remains under contract with Monaco, but the sources do not specify the contract duration (Crypto Briefing), while Scuro indicated that the club will look toward future windows to reassess moves for both Balogun and Camara.