You can almost picture the scene. Dead silence sweeping across the boardroom, heads in hands, and Folarin Balogun’s plane heading back to Monaco. It’s the stuff of nightmares for just about any club, but for Everton<\/a> it was their disastrous reality on deadline day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They went from signing the American, to finding a problem in his medical to the player himself opting out of a move after so much toing and throwing. David Moyes<\/a> has now been left with just one striker in Thierno Barry after Balogun failed to arrive and Beto left for Fiorentina.<\/p>\n Nationality<\/p>\n<\/th>\n Previous Club<\/p>\n<\/th>\n Fee<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n Merlin Rohl<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Germany<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Freiburg<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u00a318m<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Tyrique George<\/p>\n<\/td>\n England<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Chelsea<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u00a318m<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Hayden Hackney<\/p>\n<\/td>\n England<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Middlesbrough<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u00a316.5m<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Christian Norgaard<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Denmark<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Arsenal<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u00a37m<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Ainsley Maitland-Niles<\/p>\n<\/td>\n England<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Lyon<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \u00a33m<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Brennan Johnson<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Wales<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Crystal Palace<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Swap<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n The Scot is expected to take Everton into European contention this season, though he may argue that he simply hasn’t been handed the resources to do so.<\/p>\n As for Balogun, he simply felt disrespected as the Toffees searched for alternatives whilst he sat in Merseyside waiting. In the end, it was a step too far when Everton attempted to reignite their move.<\/p>\n Monaco chief Thiago Scuro explained exactly what happened to Balogun’s deadline-day move earlier this week, saying<\/a>: “Five minutes to close the transfer window there, for us to finish all the paperwork between Monaco and Everton and Balo. I signed the contract. Everton signed the contract. At the last moment, the players decided not to sign.<\/em><\/p>\n “And basically, Balogun\u2019s allegation is that I\u2019m not feeling well because of the way the club treated me. I\u2019m not feeling well because Everton\u2019s medical department raised doubts about my future or my health. I have nothing, so I\u2019m not comfortable signing a long contract here.”<\/em><\/p>\n It left the Toffees scrambling in the final stages of the window and saw them turn towards Real Betis star Abde Ezzalzouli.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Everton launched last-minute offer to sign Abde Ezzalzouli<\/strong>
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![\"abde-ezzalzouli-real-betis\"](\"https:\/\/static0.footballfancastimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-31-jul-2026-10-29-am-4124.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\"\/)
\n <\/picture>REUTERS\/Jon Nazca<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n