Everton agree £40m fee for Monaco striker Balogun
Everton have agreed to a £40m deal for Monaco forward Folarin Balogun.
The Toffees want to strengthen their forward line before Tuesday's transfer deadline, with Balogun, 25, and Tottenham's Richarlison among their targets.
Brazil forward Richarlison, 29, is believed to have reservations about returning to Everton, the club he left to join Spurs in 2022.
But Everton have pressed ahead with their interest in United States striker Balogun, who left boyhood club Arsenal to join French side Monaco in 2023.
Balogun has scored 31 goals in 91 matches across all competitions for the Ligue 1 team, and 12 goals in 31 caps for the USA.
Tottenham had agreed with Everton on Friday evening for Senegal winger Iliman Ndiaye, 26, to join the London club, with Richarlison moving the other way in a separate transfer.
However, sources are indicating Richarlison failed to agree personal terms with former club Everton, who are understood to have made a £35m offer for him.
Manchester City have subsequently agreed a deal worth up to £65m for Ndiaye.
World Cup controversy
Balogun was at the centre of a major controversy during this summer's World Cup, after he was dismissed for serious foul play against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the last 32 match and should have received an automatic suspension.
However, FIFA's disciplinary committee suspended his ban for a year, a decision that prompted widespread condemnation, particularly after it emerged that US President Donald Trump and White House officials had lobbied the world's governing body of football over the American's sanction.
Balogun, who scored three goals at the World Cup, was able to start the USA's last-16 defeat by Belgium - a decision European football's governing body UEFA called "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable".
The head of Fifa's disciplinary committee refused to answer BBC questions about the decision-making process which led to Balogun avoiding a ban.
Meanwhile, FIFA president Gianni Infantino denied having influence over disciplinary decisions.
Source: bbc.com
Trending Sports

Kurt Okraku dismisses concerns over Black Stars withdrawals
18:59
UMB Speed Stars beat Black Stars Legends 6-2 in friendly encounter
13:57
Jordan Ayew joins Kudus, Semenyo on Ghana’s AFCON injury list
04:24
Semenyo joins Kudus in withdrawing from Ghana squad ahead of AFCON qualifiers
18:30
Black Challenge turn focus to Mexico as Ghana names 20-man provisional squad
15:34
GFA brings in Godwin Attram as Queiroz calls for stable Black Stars core
05:09
Kudus pauses international action, drops out of Ghana’s AFCON qualifiers
05:39
Kudus returns as Queiroz names 24-man Black Stars squad for AFCON qualifiers
18:45
Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson calls for sustainable plan to keep Sekondi Stadium active after rehabilitation
05:26
Okraku to join CAF President Motsepe on Tanzania inspection visit ahead of 2027 AFCON
03:28



