'Who does the buck stop with? We don't know'published at 13:10 BST
13:10 BST
Everton fan and podcaster Mike Richards spoke to BBC Radio Merseyside about the club's chaotic end to the transfer window.
"I think we, and the manager you could argue as well, have been incredibly let down.
"For me that is the most unforgivable part about the whole thing... you let your second striker go, in Beto to Fiorentina. If you're going to do that you've got to ensure that you've got another striker.
"Thierno Barry can't play every minute of every game between now and 1 January so it leaves you with a situation then where you're looking at potentially Brennan Johnson going up front, Tyrique George maybe going up front but who does the buck stop with? We don't know."
'Baffling set of events' - Balogun timelinepublished at 10:32 BST
10:32 BST
Giulia Bould BBC Radio Merseyside reporter
Image source, Getty Images
It was a deadline day that was as intriguing as it was infuriating at Everton but why did Folarin Balogun walk away from a deal at the final moment?
The Toffees had expected the forward to arrive on a plane due to leave Nice at 07:00 BST but there were eyebrows raised when he didn't get that flight and he was late getting into Liverpool.
By the time the USA star did land on UK soil it was after 13:00 BST so he was immediately taken to a medical centre for scans and tests. That takes about four hours to complete and, running behind time, Balogun was then whisked to the Finch Farm training ground for the final tests needed.
It has been well reported that something was flagged up in the medical that would affect Balogun's long-term availability and I also understand the feeling among Everton's specialists is that this issue wouldn't have been a surprise to Monaco or the player himself.
With the clock ticking, and Beto already leaving for Fiorentina, Everton were willing to proceed with a revised deal that finically reflected what would be limited appearances for the 25-year-old.
At this stage my understanding is Monaco were sluggish getting the revised paperwork back but eventually everyone approved a deal sheet.
With that signed by Everton, Monaco and the player then had a short window of time after the 23:00 BST deadline to complete the contract. Just before midnight Balogun, who had been at Finch Farm for several hours, decided he had changed his mind and left.
It is a baffling set of events that has left Everton with just one striker in Thierno Barry. I understand the club's hierarchy are disappointed and dismayed by the situation. The Beto deal was pushed through because the Italian window shut four hours earlier. You wonder if that hadn't been the case, would his move have been halted?
As for right now, I have been told the back-up striker will be Tyrique George. He's played on the left wing so far but has played up front while coming up through the ranks at Chelsea.
Brennan Johnson is also known to have played as a striker and gives David Moyes another option.
It also leaves Everton with just 18 outfield players now. Christian Norgaard is already injured and this will now be a delicate balancing act for the manager after what was an astounding deadline day in the club's history.
Gossip: Toffees rejected late Garner bidpublished at 07:15 BST
07:15 BST
Everton rejected a late £65m bid from Chelsea for English midfielder James Garner, 25, because it came too late in the transfer window. (Talksport, external)
A record-breaking transfer windowpublished at 07:01 BST
07:01 BST
Steve Sutcliffe, Emlyn Begley and Gary Rose BBC Sport journalists
Media caption,
Premier League clubs have broke their all-time summer transfer record with spending reaching £3.49bn.
A total of £506.5m was spent on deadline day itself, up from £391m last year.
The total amount spent during the window considerably dwarfs the £1.13bn spent by clubs just five years ago and underlines the power top English clubs have to attract talent, according to figures provided to BBC Sport by Paul Macdonald, founder of FootballTransfers.com.
Three of the 10 most expensive signings in the history of football have happened this summer – with all of them being Premier League signings. In fact, this summer window featured four of the top flight's five most expensive ever deals.
So maybe it is not surprising then that of the 20 most expensive transfers completed, only six were not to clubs in the English top flight.
Indeed, newly-promoted Ipswich have spent more on new signings than the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, Juventus and reigning European champions PSG.
Premier League clubs as a whole were willing to dip deep into their pockets this summer, as 11 of the 20 clubs broke their transfer records, six of them on more than one occasion.
Coventry, promoted to the Premier League alongside Ipswich and Hull, have done so four times over.
'Headless chickens' and 'as fans we deserve better'published at 18:33 BST 2 September
18:33 BST 2 September
We asked for your views on Everton's transfer business.
Here are some of your comments:
Paul: In all fairness I never expected anything other than how this debacle has turned out. It's Everton's way to buy as cheap as possible and at the last minute - this time they have been caught out. I am done with the club as long as these owners are in charge.
Peter: At the start of the transfer window we were full of optimism as early signs of getting the recruitment done early seemed to be paying dividends, however by the end we were left scrabbling around for the dregs while other clubs swept up the better players.
Harry: Baffled, every year we are baffled by decisions made by owners or managers! It's like the Friedkin Group have bought an entertainment centre on the banks of a famous river. Maybe it will be looked at as a cash cow for them but once the fan base turns it will become anything other than a cash cow. We have had enough of stupid decisions and bad management.
Andrew: Kinnear should resign.
Stephen: Shambolic transfer deadline day. We had weeks to prepare and ended up running around like headless chickens. As fans we deserve better than this. If there isn't the money available to fund a proper squad rebuild then tell us, we are grown ups and can understand.
Issues with the medical meant Everton and Monaco renegotiated the initial £40m deal for the 25-year-old striker but Balogun had a change of heart and walked away after both clubs signed a deal sheet before the transfer window closed at 23:00 BST.
"Clearly, we were open to discussing and finding a transfer for Balogun," Scuro told BBC Sport.
"We had a clear agreement for Balogun to go to Everton. Balogun flew yesterday morning to complete his medical and sign a contract.
"Our plan worked very, very well at that moment in terms of generating revenue, squad planning and player transfers.
"At 16:00, Balogun was in Liverpool completing his medical. Everything was going pretty well. Around 19:00 we were contacted by Everton, who raised concerns about Balogun's medical. For our medical staff and for the player's personal medical staff, there was no sense in those concerns. The explanations were not enough to justify any concerns about the player's future or health.
"A discussion started between the medical departments. It took around two or three hours to go through the assessments, consult other doctors and review the scans. This is normal when a club doctor raises concerns.
"Meanwhile, as often happens on deadline day, the story entered the media very quickly. About half an hour after we were contacted, reports were already saying Balogun had failed his medical.
"What happened was that around 20:00 our time, maybe a bit earlier, Everton realised there was no issue and decided they were ready to sign the contract.
"I signed the contract. Everton signed the contract. At the last moment, the player decided not to sign.
"Basically, Balogun's position was, 'I'm not feeling comfortable with the way the club treated me. I'm not comfortable with the doubts raised about my future or my health. I have no issue, so I'm not comfortable signing a contract here.'
"And that's how we ended the transfer window.
"Regarding Everton, we had to respect his decision. We did our work as a club. We found solutions, challenged the medical assessment and worked through the issues.
"At the end, Everton agreed with us that Balogun had no problem. That's why they signed the contract, even under slightly improved conditions for the player and for Monaco regarding the payment structure.
"When Balogun told us he was not comfortable and did not want to sign, we were not in a position to push him. We had to respect that."
Owners facing fan mutiny - McNultypublished at 15:22 BST 2 September
15:22 BST 2 September
Phil McNulty Chief football writer
Image source, Getty Images
Everton's shambolic end to the transfer window has resulted in open revolt from supporters that places fierce scrutiny on owners The Friedkin Group and chief executive Angus Kinnear.
The last straw for fans already infuriated by the controversial proposed sale of home-grown youngster Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest - the deal was eventually blocked by Everton's board in the face of the toxic reaction from the fanbase - was the bungled final day before the window closed.
Folarin Balogun's proposed £40m move from AS Monaco descended into high farce in the early hours of Wednesday morning after the original deal was renegotiated when issues arose with his medical, ending with the United States striker deciding to walk away from Everton's Finch Farm training base without signing.
When the problem with his medical cropped up, it prompted Everton to pursue a loan deal for Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee, who was happy to sign but was not allowed to leave Old Trafford. A move was also made for Aston Villa's Tammy Abraham but did not progress as the striker wished to remain at Villa Park.
Everton could point to the fact Balogun took a personal decision they could not reverse, but the bigger question is why they took until the final day of the window to address glaring long-term issues?
Kinnear, in what must now be looked upon as an ill-fated recent interview with BBC Radio Merseyside, announced Everton's squad was "in a good place".
After the events of recent days, the word "failure" is being applied to the owners and chief executive, not Moyes. And there will be no hiding place for TFG and Kinnear should things now go wrong.
The "good place" Kinnear spoke about has eventually amounted to leaving Moyes with just one striker in the raw Thierno Barry and only 18 senior, outfield players, a parlous state of affairs for the 63-year-old Scot.
The Everton Fans' Forum issued a lengthy statement featuring widescale criticism of the club, saying the Toffees' squad had been left "dangerously short" in key areas.
"We are demanding competence, preparation and accountability."
All this, however, has been overshadowed by a transfer deadline day that ended as nothing short of a debacle. In reality, they have ended this transfer markedly weaker than when they started it.
Everton are yet to issue any public statement on the events that have led to such damning criticism, fan rebellion and a loss of credibility for owners TFG - but there are many fences to be mended.
Is £65m a fair price for Ndiaye?published at 14:10 BST 2 September
14:10 BST 2 September
Image source, Getty Images
In a summer of highly-inflated transfer fees, value has become increasingly hard to determine.
On one hand, the Iliman Ndiaye is a player of superlative skill, evasive, quick and wonderfully entertaining with the ball at his feet.
Ndiaye was responsible for 73 of Everton's 250 completed dribbles last season, the highest share of any Premier League player.
Everton fans may also point to recent moves in the Premier League involving Manchester City, such as the sale of Savio to Tottenham for an initial £75m, as further evidence that the club should have demanded more for Ndiaye.
On the other hand, Everton are effectively quadrupling the initial £16m they paid Marseille to sign Ndiaye two years ago for a player whose underlying numbers, at this stage at least, are not truly elite.
In the Premier League last season, Ndiaye only ranked joint third at Everton alone for goal contributions (nine), with Beto (10) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (12) providing more.
It is reasonable to assume that those numbers for Ndiaye will improve in a more attacking team at City but his general creativity is also middling as things stand.
He created 36 chances in total in the Premier League last season, ranking him only fourth at Everton. Toffees midfielder James Garner created 26 more. Jack Grealish, whose season ended in January because of injury, created eight more.
Grealish has effectively replaced Ndiaye at Everton following his loan move from Enzo Maresca's side.
Casting the net a little wider, 45 Premier League players have recorded more goal contributions than Ndiaye's 19 since he made his Everton debut two years ago.
As a 26-year-old set to be surrounded by better players, it would be no surprise should his numbers flourish at the Etihad.
But even in today's money, £65m for Ndiaye's current output may not be as questionable a deal as it sounds.
Are Everton better with Grealish?published at 13:52 BST 2 September
13:52 BST 2 September
Matthew Hobbs BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
One positive on a difficult deadline day for Everton was the loan signing of Jack Grealish for a second successive season from Manchester City.
Grealish proved to be a popular addition to the Everton squad in 2025-26 before a stress fracture to his foot ended his campaign after a 1-0 win at Aston Villa in January.
While Everton's goal output was broadly the same with and without Grealish, their win percentage and points-per-game tallies were both significantly higher with the 30-year-old in the side.
Despite missing four months of the season, only James Garner (7) provided more assists than Grealish's six for the club, while Grealish ranked top for fouls won (58) and touches in the opposition box (105).
The England international's creative numbers also compare favourably to Iliman Ndiaye, who has departed Everton for Manchester City.
Grealish created eight more chances, won 21 more fouls and provided three more assists in the Premier League despite playing 12 fewer games than the Senegal international.
Are Everton hierarchy and fans on the same page?published at 12:32 BST 2 September
12:32 BST 2 September
Image source, Getty Images
Everton fan group The 1878s, which organises pre-match flag and banner displays at Hill Dickinson Stadium, has issued another strong statement following a dramatic end to the club's summer transfer window.
Iliman Ndiaye, Beto, Nathan Patterson and Tim Iroegbunam headed for the exit door on deadline day, despite David Moyes insisting Everton "are not in a hurry to sell our best players" just five days ago.
"We are demanding competence, preparation and accountability. The decision to allow players to leave without having suitable replacements secured has left the squad looking dangerous short in key areas."
How are you feeling about the deadline day deals and the transfer window as a whole? What would you have changed about Everton's approach?
Chaos reigns at Evertonpublished at 12:32 BST 2 September
12:32 BST 2 September
Matthew Hobbs BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
As timelines go, turbulent doesn't really do justice to the final days of Everton's transfer window.
First, Everton CEO Angus Kinnear declared in an interview with BBC Radio Merseyside on 18 August that the club were in a stable financial position heading towards the end of the transfer window.
Two weeks later, and with just two days of the transfer window remaining, the club accepted a £40m bid from Nottingham Forest for highly rated academy graduate Harrison Armstrong, a move that collapsed following fan backlash.
The chaotic approach continued long into deadline day.
Right-back Nathan Patterson, midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, striker Beto and star winger Iliman Ndiaye were all allowed to leave the club.
While Patterson and Ndiaye were replaced by Lyon defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish respectively, a £40m deal for Monaco forward Folarin Balogun collapsed.
The net result is that a squad that manager David Moyes desperately wanted strengthening heads into the third game of the season at home to the Red Devils with one striker, one right-back and one left-back.
Kinnear had spoken of a two-year recruitment plan following the takeover by the Friedkin Group in December 2024.
Everton have brought in some promising younger players but their net spend in this window stands at £25.35m of profit.
They end it in an arguably weaker position than when it opened nine weeks ago.
'You will always be in my heart' - Ndiaye's message to Everton fanspublished at 11:36 BST 2 September
11:36 BST 2 September
Image source, Getty Images
"The memories we created together will stay with me forever," wrote Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye after securing a £65m deadline day move to Manchester City.
The 26-year-old, who joined the Toffees on a five-year contract in July 2024, made 74 appearances - scoring 17 goals and contributing four assists - during his time on Merseyside.
Ndiaye had held talks with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal earlier this summer; meanwhile Tottenham had agreed terms on a deal and were waiting on Richarlison's exit when Manchester City swooped in with a late offer.
"I arrived here two years ago with a real desire to fight straight away for this club that had put its trust in me. I always gave my all on the pitch, because that is what this club demands and above all because you fans push us to do so.
"I loved every moment here, on and off the pitch.
"Thank you firstly to everyone at the club who works every day to make our lives as easy and enjoyable as possible. Thank you to my managers and the coaching staff who always pushed me to keep my standards high.
"And to all of the players I shared this journey with, thank you. The memories we created together will stay with me forever.
"And finally, thank you most of all to the fans - for your support, your passion and all of the love you gave me during these two seasons. I hope I was able to give some of it back to you.
"To have shared two such special moments with you; scoring the final goal at Goodison Park and the first goal at Hill Dickinson Stadium is something I will always carry with me. I'm incredibly proud to have been part of those moments.
Gossip: Everton's move for Teze blockedpublished at 06:59 BST 2 September
06:59 BST 2 September
Everton were interested in signing Monaco full-back Jordan Teze, 26, but the Ligue 1 club's management vetoed the Netherlands international's exit. (Nice-Matin - in French), external
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Grealish 'going to sleep with a smile' on his face after re-signing for Toffeespublished at 22:47 BST 1 September
22:47 BST 1 September
Image source, Getty Images
Jack Grealish says "it feels so good" to rejoin Everton on loan and "can't wait" to see the supporters again on Sunday for the match against Manchester United.
The 30-year-old forward spent last season on loan with the Toffees, before a foot injury in February ended his campaign.
"It feels so good. I'm so happy," said Grealish. "I think I'm at my best at everything in life, not just football, when I feel loved.
"That's what the manager has given me, what my teammates have given me and especially what the fans have given me.
"Every time I see an Everton fan, it's just pure love and the way they've welcomed me since that first game against Leeds, I'll never forget that. It means a lot to me and hopefully I've made a few Everton fans happy.
"I had a perfect time here for the first six months, then I stayed around after I got injured. I've been watching all the Everton games in pre-season and since the season started.
"Now I feel ready to go. I'm ready to start training tomorrow and prepare for the games.
"I will be going to sleep tonight with a smile on my face, ready for training tomorrow. I can't wait to be back at Hill Dickinson on Sunday."
