Monaco’s CEO Thiago Scuro has broken his silence on the dramatic collapse of Folarin Balogun’s proposed deadline-day transfer to Everton.
The deal had been structured as a €50 million package that would have also triggered Arsenal’s 17.5% sell-on clause from when they sold Balogun to Monaco.
Everything appeared to be moving smoothly at first, with Balogun flying out to complete his medical and sign the contract on deadline day.
Reports then emerged that Balogun had failed his medical, throwing the entire deal into serious doubt and causing significant uncertainty around the move.
After further review and consultation with additional doctors, Everton determined there was no real issue and confirmed they still wanted to proceed with signing the player.
Scuro explained the full timeline of events in detail, revealing how quickly things unravelled after what looked like a resolved situation.
“We had a clear agreement for Balogun to go to Everton,” Scuro told the media via BBC Sport. “Balogun flew yesterday morning to complete his medical and sign a contract. Everything was going pretty well.”
Scuro continued: “Around 22:00 our time, maybe a bit earlier, Everton realised there was no issue and decided they were ready to sign the contract. I signed the contract. Everton signed the contract. At the last moment, the player decided not to sign.”
The Monaco CEO also disclosed Balogun’s reasoning, quoting the striker directly: “Basically, Balogun’s position was: ‘I’m not feeling comfortable with the way the club treated me. I’m not comfortable with the doubts raised about my future or my health. I have no issue, so I’m not comfortable signing a contract here.'”
The fact that news of Balogun’s medical concerns had immediately leaked to the media clearly played a significant role in his decision to walk away.
Everton appeared to make little effort to contain that sensitive information, despite the obvious damage it could cause to the player’s public profile and reputation.
Arsenal will still hold their 17.5% sell-on clause ahead of future transfer windows, though whether a similar offer materialises for Balogun remains uncertain.
The American forward’s contract with Monaco runs until 2028, giving the club security but also reducing urgency around securing a big-money sale in the near term.
Balogun, who is 25, will need a strong 2026/27 campaign if Monaco are to attract comparable interest and fee levels in a future window.
