Monaco's chief executive, Thiago Scuro, has addressed the contentious collapse of two high-profile transfers on deadline day involving Everton and Chelsea, providing the club’s perspective on the events that unfolded.

Folarin Balogun was on the verge of completing a £40 million move from Monaco to Everton late on transfer deadline day. Despite both clubs signing contract documentation just before the transfer window closed, the transfer fell through after the player declined to finalize the deal. Scuro said Balogun decided against the move due to dissatisfaction with how the medical process was handled by Everton, rather than any medical concerns on Monaco’s side.

According to Scuro, Everton raised questions about Balogun’s medical condition around 7 p.m., initiating a back-and-forth between medical teams that lasted two to three hours. He acknowledged that it is common for clubs to seek additional assessments when concerns arise but insisted that the doubts expressed were unfounded and caused unnecessary delays. Monaco also disputed Everton’s claims that Balogun’s flight for the medical was delayed or that Monaco was slow to provide medical records, which Everton argued limited their time to resolve the issues.

At approximately 10 p.m. Monaco believed Everton had cleared the medical concerns and were ready to proceed with signing. However, Balogun’s sudden refusal to complete the contract ultimately ended the transfer, drawing criticism from Everton supporters directed at the club’s ownership and management for the chaotic handling of the window.

Simultaneously, Monaco’s decision not to sell midfielder Lamine Camara to Chelsea further fueled the controversy. Chelsea had reportedly submitted an offer worth £38.5 million for Camara, and talks had been ongoing for ten days. Scuro explained that the club rebuffed Chelsea’s late bid after failing to reach full agreement on the deal’s structure, particularly following the medical assessments that raised issues. He described informing the player directly about the decision and claimed this was a standard part of the transfer process late on deadline day.

Chelsea expressed frustration at Monaco’s withdrawal from the Camara deal, viewing it as unprofessional and believing the club had accepted the offer unconditionally. Scuro defended Monaco’s stance, emphasizing the pressures and fast pace of deadline-day negotiations and insisting the club acted fairly.

Everton fans reacted strongly to the breakdown of the Balogun transfer, with a petition demanding the removal of chief executive Angus Kinnear and several fan groups voicing discontent with the ownership’s handling of the transfer window. The 1878 group, influential in supporting the team at Goodison Park, announced a pause in their activities, citing disappointment with the club’s management.

The Everton Fans’ Forum also called for greater transparency and accountability from the club’s leadership, seeking explanations for why key transfer targets were not secured and assurances to prevent similar failures in the future.

Scuro concluded by expressing a desire to maintain good relations with both Everton and Chelsea, stating, “My intention here is, as always, to work for Monaco and protect Monaco. I don’t want to create war with Chelsea. I don’t want to create war with Everton.” Meanwhile, Balogun has yet to return to Monaco, with suggestions that the club may explore other transfer opportunities in markets where windows remain open. Camara, who trained with Monaco following the failed Chelsea move, reportedly remains hopeful of future offers.