Folarin Balogun emerged as one of the central figures of the 2026 summer transfer window, culminating in a collapsed deadline-day transfer to Everton amid surrounding controversy over his medical evaluations. While his specific reasons for walking away from the Premier League side have now come to light, Balogun has surfaced as an option to join Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Saudi Pro League.
AS Monaco were in need of a financial injection driven by regulatory compliance, with Balogun positioned as one of the club’s prized assets slated for a departure that would have represented a near-record fee for a USMNT player. However, Everton nearly pulled the plug on the transaction after flags were raised during Balogun’s initial medical testing.
Even after Everton cleared the move and granted a green light despite the medical reports, Balogun himself ultimately decided against signing with the Toffees. On Wednesday, Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro called a press conference to address the failed transfers of the USMNT star and Lamine Camara to Chelsea, alongside the unsuccessful pursuit of Mexican midfielder Erik Lira.
The Brazilian executive opened by detailing the club’s delicate financial standing: “We needed to generate money, pushed by the regulations. We had two topics in mind. We made clear that our priority was to keep Lamine at the club. We were open to the transfer for Balogun.“
Balogun still has Monaco’s doors opened
With Balogun’s deal nearly finalized, there was no necessity for Camara to leave, but the striker’s sudden reversal altered Monaco’s entire deadline-day strategy. “Balogun’s position was, ‘I don’t feel comfortable because of how the situation was handled. I don’t feel comfortable with Everton’s medical department raising questions about my long-term outlook or health. I have no medical issues, so I’m not comfortable committing to a long-term deal here.’ That is how our window concluded,” Scuro added.
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With the deadline passing for major European leagues on September 1, Balogun can no longer complete a transfer to another club within Europe’s top five leagues. However, with Monaco still seeking capital and several international transfer windows remaining open, an immediate exit has not been ruled out.
Awaiting Balogun’s return to France from England, Scuro revealed that negotiations remain active: “We still have other markets open, which we are having discussions in different players including Balo. Let’s see what can still happen until Thursday, because we still have markets that have the financial capacity to do something and this is what happened and this is where we are today.“
Currently, the Turkish Super Lig and Saudi Pro League transfer windows remain open, an option for Balogun as reported by ESPN. While specific suitors have not yet been named publicly, matching the €50 million ($58 million USD) valuation agreed upon with Everton remains within the financial scope of clubs in both leagues.
Balogun could make history in the SPL
Cristiano Ronaldo has served as the catalyst for the growth of the Saudi Pro League since his arrival in late 2022, helping attract subsequent stars like former Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and World Cup champion N’Golo Kante. A potential move for Balogun, however, would represent a distinct landmark for the league’s recruitment strategy.
To date, no active USMNT international has made the move to the Saudi Pro League, meaning Balogun would become the first American player to join the competition. Signing an established core player from the U.S. national team fresh off a breakout performance at the 2026 World Cup would mark a significant statement for the league.
