The clock is absolutely ticking for Folarin Balogun. His widely expected $50 million-plus move to Everton, which would bring him back to the English Premier League, is reportedly on the brink of collapse in these final hours of European soccer’s summer transfer window.
Deadline Day Drama Goes Down to the Wire
Imagine the scene for Balogun, our 25-year-old New York-born, London-raised star. He flies out to the blue side of Liverpool on Tuesday, Monaco giving him the green light. The fee was locked in, north of $50 million, and a significant salary bump was waiting. This was it, right? The routine “medical” , usually just a quick check-the-box formality for world-class athletes like him , was supposed to be the final step. Everyone was ready.
But then, BOOM! Reports from the highly respected French daily sports newspaper L’Equipe drop, revealing the whole damn thing is stalled. Why? Because Everton is stuck, needing to finalize the sale of Senegalese forward Iliman Ndiaye to Manchester City first. With the clock screaming toward 11 p.m. in England, which is 6 p.m. ET over here, they’re running out of precious minutes. This is deadline day drama at its absolute wildest!
Balogun’s Story: From World Cup Hero to Transfer Saga
And listen, this isn’t just some random player’s transfer saga. This is *our* Folarin Balogun we’re talking about! The guy who absolutely lit up the World Cup, bagging three goals in just four games. He even notched the game-winner in that knockout stage victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina, remember? Even though we eventually got bounced by Belgium in the round of 16, Balogun showed out.
Dude brings the heat and the drama, too! Who could forget the international kerfuffle when President Trump actually asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review his red card? FIFA actually suspended the suspension, letting Balogun play, even if the U.S. did take a 4-1 loss. He’s been nursing a minor injury from the World Cup, which kept him out of much of Monaco’s preseason, but the talent is undeniable. He’s a hot commodity, drawing interest from Champions League heavyweights like Aston Villa and Spanish champions Barcelona after that breakout performance. Staying at Monaco until January wouldn’t be the worst thing for Balogun or the U.S. national team, especially since Monaco missed out on the UEFA Champions League this season after finishing seventh in France last term. But man, the physicality of the Prem, a place he already knows from 10 first team appearances with Arsenal, seems like his destiny. He’s already got 31 goals in three years for Monaco, including 29 in 85 Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League matches. He’s built for this league!
What’s Next for Our Guy?
Everton, who literally just shipped veteran forward Beto to Italian side Fiorentina on Tuesday and are now seriously shorthanded up top, would be absolutely buzzing to get Balogun. He’d be an ideal fit, a perfect supplement to their 6-foot-5 target man Thierno Barry under manager David Moyes. They could technically “circle back” in the new year, but what a gut punch to miss him now when they need him most!
Regardless of whether this insane deadline day chase comes together or completely falls apart, Coach Mauricio Pochettino is still expecting a healthy Balogun to be in the mix. He’s slated for the squad for our home exhibition games later this month against Chile and Peru. We need him focused, fit, and firing, so let’s hope this transfer window chaos doesn’t mess with his head before those important matchups!
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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