Everton make bid for Monaco striker Balogun

Everton have secured a £40 million deal to sign Monaco striker Folarin Balogun. The club aims to bolster their attacking options before the transfer deadline on Tuesday, with Balogun, aged 25, and Tottenham's Richarlison among their targets. Richarlison, 29, is reportedly hesitant about returning to Everton, the club he left for Tottenham in 2022.

Despite this, Everton has pursued United States forward Balogun, who joined Monaco from Arsenal in 2023. Balogun has netted 31 goals in 91 matches across all competitions for his current club, and he has contributed 12 goals from 31 appearances for the USA national team. Initially, Tottenham had agreed to sell winger Iliman Ndiaye, 26, to Everton, while Richarlison was set to move in the opposite direction.

However, there are indications that Richarlison failed to meet personal terms with Everton, for whom they had offered £35 million. Manchester City subsequently agreed a deal worth up to £65 million for Ndiaye. Balogun was at the heart of controversy during this summer's World Cup, having been sent off for serious foul play against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the last 32 match.

Despite being expected to receive an automatic suspension, Fifa's disciplinary committee opted to suspend his ban for a year, a decision that sparked widespread criticism, particularly after it emerged that US President Donald Trump and White House officials had lobbied FIFA about the American's sanction. The incident occurred amidst broader calls for accountability and transparency in football's world governing body.

Balogun, who scored three goals at the World Cup, was able to start the USA's last-16 defeat by Belgium, a decision that European football's governing body UEFA described as "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable." The head of FIFA's disciplinary committee declined to comment on the decision-making process, while FIFA president Gianni Infantino denied having any influence over disciplinary decisions.