Folarin Balogun has reopened the conversation about his future in England, telling talkSPORT at the NFL London game at the weekend that the Premier League remains on his list after his summer transfer to Everton fell apart.
The 25-year-old had travelled to Merseyside on the final day of the window to complete a deal reported at around £40m, before withdrawing after complications during the medical at Everton’s Finch Farm base.
Asked whether a Premier League move was still an option, Balogun told the station he had not closed the door.
“Yes, potentially. Football has many twists and turns as we’ve seen after the World Cup. I was close to a transfer, didn’t materialise, but for sure it’s definitely an option.”
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Those were his first public comments on a saga that briefly had him on Merseyside with a deal sheet lodged after the window had closed, only to end with the player refusing to sign.
Why the deal collapsed
Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro has said the striker was unhappy with how he was treated during the medical process, with Everton seeking a renegotiated fee and performance-related add-ons after an issue was flagged. The deal sheet was filed, but Balogun pulled out, in part because the Toffees had turned to alternative targets, reportedly Joshua Zirkzee and Tammy Abraham among them.
Scuro said at the start of September that Monaco were waiting to see where the striker’s head was.
“We are still waiting for Balo to come back and to sit and discuss and to realise between us what is next,” Scuro told reporters.
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14 minutes of Ligue 1 so far
The fallout has been visible at Monaco. Balogun was left out of the club’s UEFA Conference League squad for the autumn, and he has had just 14 minutes of Ligue 1 football, a late cameo off the bench against Lens on 18 September, according to coverage of his talkSPORT remarks.
The United States forward kept his line on the campaign ahead measured.
“It’s been a good start to the season. We’ve started the last three seasons well, so I think the focus is how you finish it. So we take it step-by-step.”
The January window opens on 1 January and is the next moment at which a move could be formalised.
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