By Adegboyega Adeleye
Everton have stepped up their pursuit of United States striker Folarin Balogun, submitting a bid for the Monaco forward as they look to strengthen their attack before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
According to BBC Sport, Everton have made an offer for the 25-year-old, who is valued at £40m by Monaco, with the former Arsenal striker emerging as a key target for the Premier League club.
ESPN, however, reports that Everton have submitted a £35m offer for Balogun, worth about $47.5m, with the club closing in on a possible deal for the United States international.
Balogun’s potential return to the Premier League comes only weeks after he was at the centre of one of the biggest controversies of the 2026 World Cup.
The US striker scored three goals during the tournament but was sent off for serious foul play in the last-32 clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Although he was expected to serve an automatic suspension, FIFA’s disciplinary committee suspended the ban for a year, allowing Balogun to feature in the United States’ last-16 defeat by Belgium.
The decision sparked widespread criticism, particularly after reports emerged that US President Donald Trump and White House officials had lobbied FIFA over the American striker’s punishment.
UEFA described the decision to allow Balogun to play as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”, while FIFA president Gianni Infantino denied influencing disciplinary decisions.
Balogun had earlier attracted attention at the World Cup with his goalscoring form for the US, having chosen to represent the country despite being eligible to play for England and Nigeria.
ESPN described his tournament as a major success before the red-card controversy, while Sky Sports highlighted his three World Cup goals as part of the reasons behind Everton’s interest.
The forward joined Monaco from Arsenal in 2023 and has scored 31 goals in 91 appearances for the French club, according to Sky Sports.
Everton are looking to add another forward after Beto moved closer to a transfer to Fiorentina. ESPN reports that the Portuguese striker is set to join the Serie A club for a fee in the region of £15m.
Everton had also been considering a move for Tottenham striker Richarlison, but Sky Sports reported that the club’s focus had been on bringing their former forward back to Goodison Park, with Balogun another option.
However, with the transfer deadline approaching, Everton have now made their move for Balogun.
A return to England would give the US striker another opportunity to establish himself in the Premier League after leaving Arsenal for Monaco three years ago.
Sky Sports reported that Balogun finished last season strongly for Monaco, scoring 11 goals in his final 14 matches, including a Champions League brace against Paris Saint-Germain.
Everton will now wait to see whether their offer is enough to convince Monaco to part with the World Cup scorer before the transfer window closes.
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