British media reported on 2026-08-31 that United States striker Folarin Balogun is set to transfer from Monaco to Premier League club Everton. ^[1] Erik Lira will remain with his current club, Cruz Azul, in Mexico following the failed transfer. ^[2] Reports indicate that Erik Lira's transfer to Monaco failed to materialize as the European transfer market closed. ^[3] According to new reports, AS Monaco and Everton worked through their differences and are exchanging documents to complete Folarin Balogun's transfer before the transfer market closes. ^[4] The Everton club is pressuring to finalize the signing of Folarin Balogun to release a non-EU player spot required for Erik Lira. ^[5] Monaco and Everton reached an agreement for the transfer of Folarin Balogun for a fee of 45 million euros in fixed payments, plus five million in variables and a future sale clause. ^[6] Erik Lira, a midfielder for Cruz Azul, will not join AS Monaco after his transfer deal collapsed in the final hours of the French transfer market. ^[7] The transfer deal between Cruz Azul and Monaco fell through because the French club could not free a foreign player quota before the transfer window closed. ^[8] Erik Lira's transfer to AS Monaco failed because Folarin Balogun did not pass medical examinations at Everton. ^[9] FIFA deferred Folarin Balogun's one-game suspension after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened, allowing him to play in the round of 16, and the intervention prompted a formal complaint to FIFA ethics investigators. ^[10] The British Press Association reported that Everton offered a transfer fee of around £40 million ($54 million) on a four-year deal for Folarin Balogun. ^[11] The British Press Association said personal terms had yet to be worked out before the deal could be completed prior to the 2026-09-01 transfer deadline. ^[12]