Monaco Exec Explains Balogun's Late U-Turn on Everton Move

Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro said Everton cleared Balogun's medical and was ready to sign the contract, with both clubs completing paperwork around 11 p.m. local time. However, Balogun then decided he was not comfortable with how Everton handled the situation, causing the deal to collapse. The American striker's move to the Toffees fell through on deadline day despite the clubs' agreement.

The transfer timeline shows the deal progressed deep into deadline night, with Monaco and Everton finalizing all contractual documents around 11 p.m. local time. Scuro clarified that Everton had cleared Balogun's medical after initially raising concerns, indicating the physical examination was not the ultimate obstacle to the move.

The American striker's hesitation emerged only after the paperwork was complete, with Balogun citing discomfort with how Everton managed the process. This left both clubs with a collapsed agreement despite having reached full terms, a rare reversal at such a late stage of the transfer window that caught both organizations off guard.