Folarin Balogun to Aston Villa from AS Monaco
Folarin Balogun · Incoming transfer · AS Monaco
Verdict Delivered
This rumor DIED. It was dropped from the board after going quiet, last rated 2%.
State of play
| Move | AS Monaco → Villa |
| Outcome | Never happened |
| Rated at the end | 2% |
| Resolved | September 2nd |
Balogun is joining Everton, not Villa. Everton and Monaco reached full agreement on September 1st, a fee worth roughly €45m plus €5m in add-ons, with Balogun signing a four-year contract. Villa's interest cooled after Balogun agreed personal terms with Everton on August 31st and never advanced beyond contact.
How the Story Moved
| Date | What changed | |
|---|---|---|
| August 22nd | Tracked | Rumor opened on the board at 13% (linked) — source: L'Équipe, via Get French Football News (Bastien Cheval), Sport Witness, Goal.com and others. Villa have registered interest in a third name as Watkins-exit cover. L'Équipe reported on August 22nd that Villa and Barcelona have joined Tottenham -- already in talks with Monaco over a deal worth around €60m -- in the race for USMNT striker Folarin Balogun, with the frame explicitly tied to the Ollie Watkins-to-Al-Hilal saga. Barcelona are described as only monitoring the 25-year-old after losing Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres; Tottenham are the only club reported to have opened talks with Monaco directly. No contact from Villa to Monaco has been reported, so this stays at interest rather than an active approach. Balogun scored 19 goals in 43 appearances for Monaco last season and was prominent for the USA at the 2026 World Cup. |
| August 26th | Moved | Likelihood rose from 13% to 26% (contact). Villa, Barcelona and Tottenham have all made approaches to Monaco for Balogun in the final days of the window, L'Équipe reported on August 26th via Sport Witness, with Monaco anticipating his exit having already signed Matthis Abline as a successor. That is a step up from L'Équipe's August 22nd line that only Spurs were in direct talks, with Villa merely registering interest and Barcelona only monitoring; no fee has been reported and talks would need to progress quickly for a deal to materialise before deadline day. Balogun scored 19 goals in 43 appearances for Monaco last season and impressed for the USA at the World Cup. |
| August 31st | Moved | Likelihood fell from 26% to 7% (cooling). Everton have overtaken Villa in the Balogun race: Sacha Tavolieri reported on August 31st that the Toffees have submitted a formal €18m bid to Monaco and that Balogun has already agreed personal terms in principle, effectively choosing Everton over any other suitor. That follows L'Équipe's August 26th report of Villa, Barcelona and Tottenham all making approaches, but Tottenham have since stepped back given their own attacking business (Marmoush, Savio), and neither Villa nor Barcelona have been credited with a bid since. Monaco, who value Balogun higher than Everton's offer, have the final say. Balogun scored 19 goals in 43 appearances for Monaco last season and impressed for the USA at the World Cup. |
| September 1st | Moved | Likelihood fell from 7% to 2% (off). Balogun is joining Everton, not Villa. Everton and Monaco reached full agreement on September 1st, a fee worth roughly €45m plus €5m in add-ons, with Balogun signing a four-year contract. Villa's interest cooled after Balogun agreed personal terms with Everton on August 31st and never advanced beyond contact. |
| September 2nd | Verdict | Rumor died — dropped from the board at 2% |
Timeline since the rumor joined the board.