Folarin Balogun Played Starring Role in Transfer Deadline Day Chaos
The unwanted drama of Folarin Balogun’s summer was supposed to have concluded back in July.
Belgium’s nut-and-bolt dismantling of the U.S. men’s national team in the World Cup round of 16 should have tied a neat bow on the controversy which Balogun’s suspended suspension unleashed. Yet, for the second time in a matter of months, the affable striker has found himself at the center of another dizzying storm.
U.S. President Donald Trump wasn’t to blame on this occasion—so it would appear. To decipher what exactly went wrong in Balogun’s bungled transfer to Everton, we need to peel back the layers of consequences which spread from Manchester to Mexico, drawing in almost half the Premier League and the most expensive deal agreed anywhere this summer.
Timeline of Events Caused By Folarin Balogun’s Everton Transfer Saga
Failed Medical Sees Balogun Transfer Collapse
Deadline Day began with Balogun seemingly on his way to Everton. The Toffees had agreed a $54.1 million (£40 million) deal with Monaco on Monday, paving the way for the USMNT World Cup star to undergo a medical at the club’s Finch Farm training ground.
However, vague “issues” arose during those routine checks. Balogun had not even made the matchday roster for any of Monaco’s first four fixtures of the new season, with his last competitive action that chastening afternoon in Seattle against Belgium.
It’s not clear what caused the Everton concern, but it clearly wasn’t enough to completely conclude negotiations. In fact, it gave David Moyes’s side license to head back to Monaco to renegotiate Balogun’s fee. At the same time, attentions were diverted elsewhere.
Everton Explore Move for Joshua Zirkzee
In the face of uncertainty over Balogun, Everton made a late approach for Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee, The Athletic subsequently revealed. The Dutch striker was open to the interest after reportedly turning down the advances of Fiorentina, but United weren’t keen.
The Red Devils would have been left with just one natural, senior center forward—an increasingly injury prone Benjamin Šeško—with only hours of the window remaining had Zirkzee’s exit been sanctioned. It would not prove to be the only deal off the table.
Chelsea Strike Agreement With Monaco for Lamine Camara
While Monaco were dealing with Balogun’s fluctuating future, there was the small matter of Lamine Camara’s proposed move to Chelsea. The well connected French journalist Romain Molina claimed that Monaco sporting director Thiago Scouro had been “bragging and demanding” upward of $80 million for his influential midfielder until Balogun’s uncertainty surfaced.
Monaco were only under pressure to make one major sale on Deadline Day to balance the books—which explains the initial game of Camara hard ball with the Balogun fee to lean upon. Once that was no longer guaranteed, Scouro’s position was thought to have changed.
There were still several hours of the transfer window remaining Monaco accepted a sum of $63.7 million (£47.1 million) for Camara, who had been lined up as Enzo Fernández’s replacement at Stamford Bridge.
Everton, Monaco Agree to New Balogun Deal
Despite the questions raised by a dubious medical, Everton were able to negotiate a reduced sum with Monaco for Balogun. Having seen their interest in Zirkzee rebuffed and with Beto sold to Fiorentina, Moyes desperately needed one warm body to share the workload upfront with Thierno Barry.
There was enough confidence from all three parties of an imminent agreement that Everton submitted a deal sheet—signed by the player—which would allow them a two-hour ‘grace period’ to finalize all the details after the 11 p.m. BST cutoff time.
Monaco Back Out of Camara Transfer, Chelsea Furious
Camara had settled on personal terms with Chelsea, agreeing to a typically fulsome six-year contract, and a written club-to-club agreement had supposedly been submitted. However, once it looked as though Balogun’s move was back in the works, Monaco reneged on their position—much to the fury of Chelsea.
Even though that fee for Balogun would not come through, no deal sheet had been submitted for Camara so there was no chance of any embarrassing backtracking in the early hours of the morning.
Chelsea Opt Not to Pull Plug on Enzo Fernandez Move to Man City
Chelsea had already seen an approach for Manu Koné come to nothing by the time they had the rug pulled from beneath them by Monaco. The Blues could feasibly have followed the same example and canceled Fernández’s record-equaling move to Manchester City but the club let their wantaway player slip away.
As has been widely reported, Chelsea “preferred to honor their word.”
Balogun Decides to Stay at Monaco, Ending Everton Transfer Saga
A fee had been agreed, the medical overlooked and Chelsea snubbed just as an extra bonus in what threatened to be a decent conclusion to Deadline Day for Monaco. And then Balogun had a change of heart.
It’s not yet been articulated beyond that vague platitude what actually prompted this seismic decision. Balogun did not appear in Monaco training the following morning, with talk of a move to a league with its transfer window still open circulating. Whatever the justification, the repercussions didn’t end with Balogun and Everton.
Balogun Transfer Chaos Costs Mexico’s Erik Lira Dream European Move
One last consequence impacted poor Erik Lira. One of Mexico’s stars at the World Cup had been lined up by Monaco as a late target. Cruz Azul’s destructive midfielder would not have been a direct replacement on the pitch for Balogun, but Lira needed the U.S. international to leave so that he could take his non-E.U. slot on Monaco’s roster.
With Balogun still technically on the club’s books, there was no place for Lira, who had also been chased by Sunderland only to prioritize a move to the French principality.
