Moyes accepts deadline day setbacks after Ndiaye sale and Balogun collapse

Everton manager David Moyes has acknowledged the club must accept a series of disappointments on transfer deadline day, revealing he would have liked to complete more business before the window closed.

The most notable setback was the collapse of a move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun. The 25-year-old American international had undergone a medical at Finch Farm, but ultimately changed his mind and walked away from the deal. Everton and Monaco had already signed a deal sheet prior to the 23:00 BST deadline to allow extra time for completion, following renegotiations over medical issues with the initial £40m agreement.

Moyes insisted there were no hidden complications behind the player’s withdrawal. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault and ultimately it happens in football as the player had a problem in his medical and that was simply it,” Moyes said. “There are no other stories behind it. That is exactly what happened.”

The Toffees also failed to secure Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee or Aston Villa striker Tammy Abraham. In addition, a potential deal for Fulham defender Kenny Tete fell through because the London club could not identify a suitable replacement for him.

However, Everton did manage to finalize two significant transactions. They signed Jack Grealish from Manchester City on a season-long loan, while also confirming the departure of star attacker Iliman Ndiaye to City in a deal valued at £65m. Ndiaye scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 67 Premier League appearances for Everton.

Rights-back Ainsley Maitland-Niles arrived from Lyon for £3m, adding depth to the squad. Moyes explained that selling Ndiaye was partly necessary to generate funds for new signings, despite the difficulty of losing a player when clubs like Manchester City make offers.

“We were looking to get some money in,” Moyes reflected. “Some things went against us and some things we could have done better. Ultimately we didn’t want to lose a lot of the different players but for reasons that had to happen.”