How Everton's deadline day debacle left the Friedkin Group facing a fan mutiny

Everton's shambolic end to the transfer window has produced open revolt from supporters, placing fierce scrutiny on owners The Friedkin Group and chief executive Angus Kinnear, BBC chief football writer Phil McNulty writes.

The anger did not arrive out of nowhere. Fans were already infuriated by the controversial proposed sale of home-grown youngster Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest — a deal eventually blocked by Everton's board in the face of a toxic reaction from the fanbase. The bungled final day before the window closed was the last straw.

Everton's night of farce at Finch Farm

Folarin Balogun's proposed £40m move from AS Monaco descended into high farce in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The United States striker, 25, and both clubs had signed the deal sheet that allows a transfer to be completed after Tuesday's 23:00 BST deadline. Everton had scheduled an 8am flight to bring him to Merseyside, but he was unable to arrive until later in the day, and the club were also frustrated by a delay in receiving documents related to the deal from Monaco.

Then a problem cropped up with Balogun's medical. That 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, and did not progress because the striker wished to remain at Villa Park.

Having failed to sign an alternative, Everton eventually agreed a deal with Monaco minutes before the deadline. It was restructured to give a smaller up-front payment and a series of payments triggered by how Balogun progressed; his personal terms were unchanged. It was only then that the former Arsenal striker had his change of heart, leaving Finch Farm without putting pen to paper.

Two versions of the same night

Monaco sporting director Thiago Scuro told journalists at a news conference on Wednesday that Balogun was "not comfortable" with how Everton treated him during his medical. Everton's position is that they supported the player throughout the process while being open about the issues identified.

Whichever account you take, the outcome does not change. A striker signed a deal sheet, was flown towards Merseyside, and went home again unsigned. Everton finished the window without the forward they had spent an entire day chasing, and with two deals blocked or collapsed — Armstrong out, Balogun in — that both ended with the fanbase shouting at the boardroom rather than the dugout.

What Everton can still do

The window is shut, but the market is not entirely closed. BBC Sport notes a host of talented players still without a club and therefore free to sign, among them Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling, all of whom have had contracts terminated or been released in recent months. JOE has the full rundown of every free agent still available after the summer window slammed shut. Whether anyone on that list is the answer to Everton's problems is a separate question entirely.

What is not in doubt is the scrutiny now sitting on Kinnear and the Friedkins, who ended the window a striker short after spending a full day chasing one. It came on a deadline day that had already seen Ndiaye leave for Manchester City in a £65m deal, and it is the boardroom, not the dugout, that the fanbase is aiming at.