Neal Maupay hinted that he wasn’t appreciated during his time at Everton.
Maupay had plenty of chances at Everton but failed to deliver, scoring only one goal from 32 shots.
Brentford have the option to purchase Maupay, but he could be returning to Goodison Park.
Everton allowed Neal Maupay to join fellow Premier League side Brentford on loan during the summer transfer window, and journalist Paul Brown has discussed the chances of him returning to Goodison Park. In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Brown addresses some recent comments made by the striker.
Maupay signed for the Toffees for a fee of £15m last summer, with many Evertonians expecting the Frenchman to be the ideal backup to Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Regular injuries to Everton’s main man led to Maupay being given a regular starting role at Goodison Park, but he failed to deliver.
The Merseyside club were always going to find it difficult to recoup the money they forked out to bring him to the club after an uninspiring first season, so allowing him to depart on a temporary deal was their solution at the time. The 27-year-old remains on the books at Everton and will return to the club at the end of the campaign, but it’s unclear what the future may hold for Maupay ahead of next summer.
Neal Maupay feels he wasn’t appreciated at Goodison Park
When Calvert-Lewin was fit, Maupay had to get used to playing a squad role under Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche. The former Brighton & Hove Albion striker was given opportunities to stake his claim, but failed to grab it with both hands. As a result, he was sent out on loan, and after recently scoring for Brentford in the Premier League, Maupay hinted that he wasn’t appreciated during his time at Goodison Park…
“Last season I wasn’t me. I didn’t manage to find myself at Everton, so I’m glad to be back here, win games and be with people who appreciate me and vice versa because I love people in this club.”
Last season, when Maupay was still with Everton, journalist Brown told GIVEMESPORT that his time at the club had been a ‘total disaster’. Despite signing for the Bees just a few months ago, Maupay has already equalled the number of goals he scored for the Merseyside club.
Neal Maupay
Everton Premier League Stats – 2022/2023
Appearances
27
Goals
1
Shots
32
Shots On Target
13
Touches In Attacking Penalty Area
49
Aerial Duels Won (%)
23.8%
All statistics via FBref
Although Maupay has hinted that he wasn’t appreciated at Goodison Park, he was given plenty of opportunities to showcase what he could do. The French forward played in 27 Premier League games and managed to score just once from 32 shots, so Everton needed more from him for them to show more faith in the striker.
Paul Brown update
Everton will have a decision to make on Maupay next summer when he returns to the club once the season has ended. Per The Athletic, Brentford do have the option to turn his temporary deal into a permanent one, but they are under no obligation to do so. The ideal scenario could be that Maupay performs well during his time in the capital, and Thomas Frank is keen to extend his stay at the club.
Brown has suggested that he sees no way back for Maupay at the Toffees as he doesn’t believe Dyche ever trusted him since taking over at Goodison Park. The journalist adds that he doesn’t fit into the team or the system, so there is little chance of him returning to play for the club. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown said…
“I don’t think there’s a way back for him at Everton. I don’t think Sean Dyche really trusted him as a reliable goal scorer. He gave him plenty of chances and they just couldn’t get a tune out of him. I don’t really think that Maupay is eager to come back in. He knows that he doesn’t really fit into this team or system. Things didn’t go well for him and I’m pretty sure that he’d be happy to make a move elsewhere. So I don’t really think he is likely to return.”
Sean Dyche is eyeing two young strikers
Although Everton now have Calvert-Lewin, Youssef Chermiti, and Beto at their disposal in attack, the Toffees need to plan for the future. Chermiti could be sent out on loan to aid his development and Calvert-Lewin has endured injury difficulties in the past.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Everton are one of the clubs who are keeping a close eye on Borussia Monchengladbach striker Winsley Boteli, alongside Juventus. The transfer guru has also revealed that 17-year-old Croatian talent Anton Matkovic is only being monitored by the Merseyside club. After years of mismanagement and significant spending on ageing players, Everton appear to be heading in a different direction.
