Monaco CEO reveals why Folarin Balogun walked away from Everton transfer

Folarin Balogun’s proposed £45 million move from Monaco to Everton collapsed after the striker became uncomfortable with how the Premier League club handled concerns raised during his medical, Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro has revealed.

According to USA TODAY, Everton initially agreed a deal worth £45m plus £5m in potential add-ons before an issue emerged during Balogun’s medical examination.

Scuro said Everton contacted Monaco on deadline day to raise questions about the 25-year-old’s medical, but claimed both Monaco’s doctors and Balogun’s personal medical team disagreed with the concerns. Everton subsequently brought in specialists to reassess the forward, with the additional examinations eventually clearing the way for the transfer to be renegotiated.

However, by then, Balogun had reportedly lost confidence in the move and decided against signing a long-term contract with Everton. Scuro explained that the striker felt unsettled by the doubts raised about his health despite believing he had no medical problem.

Balogun has now returned to Monaco, although his future remains uncertain, with Scuro confirming that talks could continue with clubs in leagues where the transfer window remains open, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The United States international scored 19 goals for Monaco last season.