09/03/26 05:09:00
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09/03 05:08 CDT First Trump, now Everton: Balogun at center of another fiasco
as deadline-day transfer fails
First Trump, now Everton: Balogun at center of another fiasco as deadline-day
transfer fails
MONACO (AP) --- U.S. striker Folarin Balogun pulled out of a deal to join
Everton in the final minutes of European soccer's summer transfer window
because he felt uncomfortable that the English club raised doubts about his
health in a medical check, Monaco's sporting director has revealed.
In an unusually candid summary by a soccer official about an aborted transfer,
Thiago Scuro held a news conference and gave --- in English --- a detailed,
step-by-step laydown on how Balogun's proposed move to Everton for a reported
40 million pounds ($54 million) fell apart with the clock ticking on deadline
day.
According to Scuro, Balogun underwent a medical examination at Everton on
Tuesday afternoon. Three hours later --- and with four hours left until the
deadline --- Everton contacted Monaco raising questions about the results of
the medical "which, for our medical staff, as well as for the player's personal
medical staff, made no sense at all," Scuro said.
There followed discussions between the clubs and medical departments, before
Everton contacted Monaco again to say it was ready to complete the signing of
Balogun, according to Scuro.
"At the last moment, the player decided not to sign," Scuro continued in the
news conference held Wednesday. "And basically, the allegation of Balogun is
that, ?I'm not feeling well by the way the club treated me, I'm not feeling
well by the way the medical department of Everton brought doubts about my
future or my health. I have nothing (wrong with his health), so I'm not
comfortable to sign a long contract here.'"
There was no immediate response from Everton about Scuro's comments when
contacted by the Associated Press. The Premier League club's leadership --- its
owners are the Texas-based Friedkin Group --- is being criticized by its fans
for the way the Balogun deal was handled, as it leaves the team with just one
senior striker --- Thierno Barry --- since his backup, Beto, was sold to
Fiorentina on deadline day.
There has been no public comments from Balogun, either, following the latest
fiasco surrounding the New York-born striker.
During the World Cup, Balogun was the star player for the U.S. team but was
red-carded during the round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His one-game suspension was deferred by FIFA after U.S. President Donald Trump
intervened, calling Gianni Infantino --- president of soccer's world governing
body --- to see if the red card could be reviewed.
Balogun was, therefore, allowed to play in the round of 16 and had a
forgettable performance as the U.S lost to Belgium 4-1. The intervention
prompted a formal complaint to FIFA's ethics investigator and led to a general
outcry in the soccer world, with Balogun later acknowledging FIFA's decision to
suspend his ban created "outside noise" that affected the U.S. team mentally.
Balogun could still leave Monaco
Scuro has left open the possibility of Balogun, who has two years left on his
contract at Monaco, still leaving the club, saying: "We still have markets that
have the financial capacity to do something."
Among the leagues whose transfer windows are still open are Turkey (closes on
Friday) and Saudi Arabia (closes on Oct. 12).
Monaco is under pressure to sell Balogun or another of its top players because
it needs to generate money to comply with the French league's financial rules.
When it first appeared that Balogun's move to Everton was off, Monaco began
negotiating with Chelsea over the sale of midfielder Lamine Camara and they
reached an agreement, Scuro said.
However, that deal was also scrapped when Everton reversed its decision on
Balogun and attempted to get it over the line.
In the end, neither player moved.
"Balo leaving was the trigger for everything to be OK," Scuro said. "Basically,
our financial plan was working almost perfectly until 7 p.m. (on Tuesday).
"Now we have to face this situation and find solutions in different ways."
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See AP's full soccer coverage here
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