United States men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun hasn’t given up on a return to the Premier League, even though his deadline-day move to Everton completely imploded just a month ago. The 25-year-old was asked by talkSPORT if a Premier League move still interested him, and his answer was clear: “It’s definitely an option.” Balogun said he was “close to a transfer,” acknowledging it “didn’t materialise, but for sure it’s definitely an option.” This guy has seen some wild stuff lately, telling us “Football has many twists and turns as we’ve seen after the World Cup.” You can say that again, Folarin.
That Everton Deal Was a Full-Blown Disaster
Man, talk about drama! Everton had a reported £40 million ($54 million) deal in place to sign Balogun from Monaco, but it went up in smoke in the final minutes of the September 1 transfer deadline. Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro laid out the whole timeline, and it sounds absolutely bonkers. According to Scuro, Balogun actually took his medical at Everton that afternoon. Then, about three hours later, Everton came back with questions about the results. Scuro said those questions “made no sense at all” to Monaco’s medical staff and Balogun’s own doctors. After the medical teams from both clubs talked it through, Everton said they were still ready to complete the signing. But then, at the very last moment, Balogun himself decided not to sign. Scuro stated the striker told Monaco he wasn’t comfortable committing to a long contract after Everton had raised those doubts about his health. Can you even imagine that kind of pressure right before the deadline? Wild.
World Cup Controversy and What’s Next for Balogun
It’s not like this is Balogun’s first rodeo with high-stakes, last-minute drama. He was the United States’ top scorer at the World Cup with three goals, but his tournament ended with a huge controversy. He got sent off in the Americans’ 2-0 round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. That’s usually an automatic one-game suspension, right? Nope! FIFA suspended the ban for an entire year, which cleared Balogun to face Belgium in the round of 16. FIFA’s disciplinary committee actually cited a rule that allows them to suspend sanctions. Balogun played against Belgium, but the U.S. lost 4-1 right here in Seattle, ending their run on home soil. It’s tough to watch the USMNT fall, especially at home. He later admitted, as the AP reported, that all that noise around FIFA’s decision really affected the team mentally.
Now, back at Monaco, things are going great for the club, even without him. They’ve absolutely thrived, winning four of their first five Ligue 1 matches and drawing the other, shooting straight to the top of the table. They’re sitting five points clear of defending champion Paris Saint-Germain after beating PSG 2-1 in Paris on September 4. Balogun finally made his first appearance since the World Cup as a late substitute in a 2-1 home win over Lens on September 18. A 20-year-old striker named Paris Brunner has stepped up big time, filling Balogun’s spot with six goals this season. Scuro mentioned after the Everton collapse that Monaco is still open to selling Balogun to clubs in markets where the transfer windows are still open, according to the AP. Saudi Arabia’s window stays open until October 12, but for now, Balogun is still with Monaco, where he’s got two years left on his contract. He’ll be there when Monaco hosts Toulouse on Saturday, October 10. You gotta wonder what’s going through his head, and if he’s already eyeing his next big move.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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