'Not feeling well' — How Folarin Balogun scattered transfer plans of Chelsea and another EPL club

Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro has revealed the extraordinary deadline-day sequence that caused two major Premier League transfers to collapse.

He detailed how Folarin Balogun's aborted £40 million move to Everton directly triggered the late cancellation of Lamine Camara’s transfer to Chelsea.

Scuro explained that Monaco needed to sell a player to satisfy financial regulations, explicitly prioritising Balogun's departure over Camara.

Balogun travelled to Merseyside on Tuesday morning to undergo medical examinations ahead of his proposed switch to Goodison Park.

However, Everton's medical department raised unexpected concerns regarding the 25-year-old striker's physical condition around 7 p.m.

Scuro stated that these concerns made absolutely no sense to Monaco's medical staff or the player's personal representatives.

News of the delayed medical quickly alerted Chelsea executives, who were desperately seeking a midfield replacement.

The London club had just sold Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City on deadline day for a fee reportedly over £120 million.

Believing the Everton deal was collapsing, Chelsea initiated formal negotiations with Monaco for Camara at approximately 8:00 p.m.

Scuro personally contacted the 22-year-old Camara to discuss the potential conditions of a move to Stamford Bridge while simultaneously monitoring the Everton situation.

The situation completely shifted at 10:00 p.m when Everton finally cleared the medical hurdles and prepared the official contracts.

Having seemingly secured their required funds through Everton, the Monaco board immediately terminated all ongoing discussions with Chelsea regarding Camara.

Scuro dismissed suggestions that Monaco acted unfairly, insisting their late withdrawal was simply part of the business.

Despite the frantic negotiations, the entire Everton deal ultimately collapsed in the final five minutes of the transfer window.

Balogun personally refused to sign the long-term contract, citing dissatisfaction with how Everton's medical staff handled the process.

"I’m not feeling well because Everton’s medical department raised doubts about my future or my health," Scuro quoted the striker as saying.

The double collapse leaves both Camara and Balogun in France for the foreseeable future. 

Meanwhile, Chelsea face the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign without a direct replacement for Fernandez.