Everton's chaotic deadline day leaves squad thin at striker and full-back
Everton's transfer window ended in disappointment after Folarin Balogun pulled out of a move late on deadline day, leaving the club with only one senior striker. The club had agreed a £40m deal with Monaco, but concerns from his medical data led to complications and Balogun decided not to join. With Beto sold to Fiorentina, Everton now face the season short in attack and at left-back.
Everton's deadline-day collapse traces back to a medical review at Finch Farm around 6pm Tuesday, when club staff flagged concerns in Monaco-supplied GPS data. Rather than failing Balogun outright, Everton sought to restructure the £40m deal with reduced upfront payment and heavier performance-based add-ons. Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro publicly disputed the medical concerns, calling them baseless.
The chain of events left manager David Moyes with just 18 senior players. Beto's sale to Fiorentina was approved on the assumption Balogun would arrive, while backup options — Tammy Abraham and Joshua Zirkzee — were unavailable. Everton now enter the season with Thierno Barry as their only senior striker and a gap at left-back, with no reinforcements possible until January.
This saga could leave Everton competitively exposed through the autumn, potentially affecting match results and league position. Fans may feel disillusioned by the club's recruitment process, while the public airing of medical data disputes could make other transfer targets wary of similar scrutiny. The episode may also reinforce perceptions that deadline-day gambles carry inherent instability, possibly prompting clubs to reconsider how late-window negotiations are structured.