Folarin Balogun scored three at the World Cup. Everton's medical changed the next question.
Folarin Balogun's collapsed Everton move turns a World Cup breakout into a sharper question about availability, role and the next club chapter.
Folarin Balogun left a medical at Everton with a World Cup highlight reel behind him and a club future still unresolved. On September 3, BBC Sport reported that the deadline-day move from Monaco collapsed after a medical raised an issue linked to long-term availability. Balogun returned to Monaco after walking away from the deal. 12
A medical issue, then a decision
Everton had agreed a £40m deal for the 25-year-old United States forward after Balogun's best club season: 19 goals in 43 games for Monaco in 2025-26. A medical at Finch Farm prompted Everton and Monaco to renegotiate the fee. The clubs and the player signed a deal sheet before the 23:00 BST deadline, then Balogun changed his mind and left just before midnight. 13
The exact medical issue remains undisclosed in public reporting. Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro told ESPN that Everton's questions made no sense to Monaco's medical staff or Balogun's personal physician. Everton finished the window with Thierno Barry as the only recognised striker and 18 outfield players in the squad. 12
The profile that made the move tempting
Balogun is a running striker rather than a target man. In his 2025-26 league season, he scored 13 goals in 30 appearances, one every 173 minutes. BBC Sport's Opta comparison also put him among the competition's leading forwards for runs behind the defence. At the World Cup, Balogun averaged eight such runs per game, third among all strikers, and scored three goals. 3
The World Cup promise meets the club question
Balogun's summer began with a personal choice. Born in New York to Nigerian parents and raised in England, he represented England at youth level before switching to the United States in 2023. In the USA's opening match against Paraguay, he scored twice in a 4-1 win, becoming the first US men's player since 1930 to score two goals in a World Cup game. 4
FIFA recorded Balogun describing that night as something he had dreamed about for a long time. The next answer will arrive through appearances: a settled role, reliable availability, and goals outside a tournament spotlight. The Everton collapse leaves those three parts waiting for a new club chapter. 5
Quote of the Day
"It means everything to me to play in front of the home fans." 5
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