Everton reach Monaco agreement for Folarin Balogun as personal terms talks begin

Everton have reached an agreement with Monaco over the transfer of striker Folarin Balogun, with negotiations over the player’s personal terms now expected to take place.

The proposed deal, reported by Fabrizio Romano, would see David Moyes’ side pay Monaco a fixed fee of €45m for the 25-year-old forward. A further €5m in add-ons is also included, along with a sell-on clause that would benefit the Ligue 1 club in the future.

Everton must now reach an agreement with Balogun before the transfer can be completed. The negotiations with the player represent the next stage of a deal that has already been agreed between the two clubs.

Balogun was a key figure for Monaco last season, scoring 19 goals and supplying four assists in 43 appearances across all competitions. His contribution made him an important part of the club’s campaign and helped establish him as one of their leading attacking players.

The striker also maintained that form during the summer’s World Cup with the USA. Balogun scored three goals in four appearances before his side were eliminated by Belgium in the last 16.

His involvement in the tournament was also marked by controversy. FIFA decided to ‘suspend’ the red card Balogun received against Bosnia, following a phone call between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump.

Everton’s agreement with Monaco gives the Premier League club a clear route towards signing Balogun, although the transfer is not yet complete. Personal terms still need to be settled, and the final move remains dependent on those discussions.

The structure of the proposed agreement means Monaco would receive €45m up front, with the potential for the total value of the deal to rise by a further €5m through add-ons. The inclusion of a sell-on clause provides the French club with the possibility of benefiting from a future transfer involving Balogun.

For Everton, the move would bring in a striker who scored regularly for Monaco last season and carried that effectiveness into international football. Balogun’s record of 19 goals and four assists in 43 matches was followed by three goals in four World Cup games for the USA.

The USA’s tournament ended with defeat by Belgium in the round of 16, while Balogun’s red-card incident against Bosnia became the subject of FIFA’s decision to suspend the punishment. Those events formed part of a summer in which his performances and disciplinary situation both attracted significant attention.

For now, the clubs have reached agreement, but Everton and Balogun must still settle the player’s personal terms before the transfer can be finalised.