Everton stance revealed after Folarin Balogun rejected £40m deadline‑day move at the 11th hour

Everton have been left 'stunned' after Folarin Balogun dramatically walked away from a £40 million move to Goodison Park late on deadline day.

The AS Monaco striker had completed the necessary stages of the transfer and was expected to sign before making a late U-turn.

That has left Toffees boss David Moyes with just one recognised senior striker after Beto's departure to Fiorentina.

Everton left shocked by Folarin Balogun U-turn on deadline day

Everton were left 'shocked' and 'disappointed' by Balogun's decision not to complete his move, according to TEAMtalk.

The 25-year-old had been at Everton's Finch Farm training base and was expected to sign a deal worth around £40 million, with the club having even put a deal sheet in place to allow more time for the transfer to be completed.

There had been some back-and-forth over his medical, but those issues were resolved, and the deal appeared to be back on track.

However, when Balogun was expected to sign his contract, he instead decided against the move and left Finch Farm.

That has left Everton in an extremely difficult position after they had already agreed to sell Beto to Fiorentina, with Balogun lined up as his replacement.

The Toffees had briefly explored a last-ditch move for Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee earlier in the day, but that proposal was rejected.

David Moyes now left with only one Everton striker

The collapse of the Balogun deal leaves Moyes with a major problem.

With Beto now at Fiorentina, Everton are left relying on Thierno Barry as their only recognised senior striker, meaning any injury or suspension could leave them seriously short of options up front.

That is particularly frustrating given how much work went into replacing Beto. Everton believed Balogun was effectively secured before the striker's late decision.

The club did at least complete the signing of Jack Grealish from Manchester City, while Iliman Ndiaye moved in the opposite direction, but neither solves the immediate No.9 problem.

Moyes may therefore have to work with Barry and find alternative solutions within his squad after an extraordinary deadline-day collapse that Everton believed had been avoided.