UPDATE: The agreement between Balogun and Everton is now OFF; he will remain with AS Monaco.
It’s been a whirlwind 48 hours for Everton at the end of the transfer window. Hijacked transfers, Richarlison’s Instagram drama, and a lot of shuffling chairs on the deck… but one of their big buys has been settled without drama. Folarin Balogun, fresh off a breakout World Cup for the USMNT, will be joining the Toffees on a transfer from AS Monaco.
David Moyes’ club has seemingly finished reshaping the attacking group. They swapped out Dwight McNeil for Brennan Johnson earlier in the summer, replacing a key rotation winger. Iliman Ndiaye, their top outside creator and a rising star, is moving to Manchester City for a whopping €65 million. He’s seemingly going to be replaced by Jack Grealish, who is returning to Everton on a loan deal from City. And now they’ve completed a move at striker, picking up Balogun to replace the outgoing Beto, who has been sold to Fiorentina.
It’s a complicated series of moves, one that leaves Everton with valuable cash without sacrificing much quality. Tyrique George has fully arrived as a fixture in the starting lineup, and Grealish can replicate a lot of Ndiaye’s wing creation and take-on talent. They’ve still maintained critical depth with Johnson, Tyler Dibling, and Charly Alcaraz.
What’s going to be interesting to watch is the split at center forward. Thierno Barry seized the starting spot from Beto, which certainly contributed to the latter’s ouster, and he has certainly deserved the spot. The 23-year-old scored to seal the opening-day win over Crystal Palace, then bagged a hat-trick against Preston North End in their EFL Cup match. Barry figures to have a hold on the top spot, but Balogun can certainly challenge him. With a reported transfer package coming in around €45 million, they didn’t pay him to ride the pine 24/7.
This is a chance for Balogun to re-establish himself in the Prem. Flo broke into top-flight football with Arsenal after a promising youth career, but managed to play in only 10 games for the Gunners. After a detour in the Championship, Balogun found purchase with Stade de Reims in Ligue 1, scoring 21 league goals in his debut season. He was a preferred sub with Monaco for his first two seasons, but became the full-time starter last season, scoring 13 goals in league play and bagging five goals in their Champions League campaign.
The question is how Balogun adjusts to the physicality and different style of play in the Premier League. The French league is more free-flowing, and players are comfortable playing through the middle; in the Prem, players like to get wide and use crosses and cutbacks to create chances. Balogun will have to win in the air instead of on the ground and focus on simple finishes after runs into space. If he can do that, he’s more than worth the investment for Everton and gives them a dynamic duo at the striker spot.
