An ‘example on and off the pitch’ is not really the description many Everton fans will give you when asked about a player who left the Premier League outfit in a deal worth just over £3 million.
Few men could boil blood or shake up controversy quite as expertly as Neal Maupay.
Whether it was the infamous spat between Maupay and Tottenham’s James Maddison, using Tim Robbins’ escape from Shawshank Redemption as a metaphor for his Everton departure, or generally acting like something beginning with ‘s’ and ending in ‘house’, the former Brighton and Brentford striker become the posterboy for Premier League irritants.
Furthermore, with just one goal in 29 top-flight games for Everton, it’s fair to say there were few Toffees fans disappointed to see him go.
Imagine a world in which Warden Samuel Norton was only too happy to see Andy Dufresne burrow his way through the tunnels, and you get the idea.
All of which makes the fact that Maupay is now an inspirational figure in Marseille’s Ligue 1 charge all the more surprising.
Neal Maupay of Marseille salutes the supporters following the Ligue 1 football match between Racing Club de Lens (RCL) and Olympique de Marseille (...
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Neal Maupay a Marseille ‘example’ after Everton exit
Maupay is even keeping £20 million Elye Wahi out of Roberto de Zerbi’s team. Something few saw coming when the former arrived, seemingly as a back-up to one of the hottest young prospects in French football.
As Wahi again started on the bench, Maupay was front and centre – quite literally, given his number nine role – as Marseille reduced the gap between themselves and Luis Enrique’s stuttering Paris Saint-Germain side to just five points.
Maupay appears to be adding another string to his bow in France, too.
In 160 Premier League games for Brighton and Everton, he assisted only ten goals. In just 12 Marseille appearances, he already has four.
In fact, all four of those have come in the last three games. After helping Marseille to a comeback win over fellow challengers Monaco the previous weekend, Maupay flicked the ball around the corner for Adrien Rabiot to open his L’OM account in Sunday’s 2-0 win at St Etienne.
Only Joao Neves – PSG’s £60 million marquee acquisition from Benfica – has set up more Ligue 1 goals in 2024/25.
“Neal Maupay is truly an example, on and off the pitch,” De Zerbi said after that St Etienne victory, Mason Greenwood securing the points with a late penalty.
“He has a lot of qualities. He is someone who puts a lot of aggression into his game. He is different from Elye Wahi.
“Wahi is just as important a player [but], at the moment, it is true that Neal Maupay is fundamental for us.”
Maupay continues trend of former Everton men flying elsewhere
It is becoming a running theme at Goodison Park. Maupay is far from the first player to leave Everton, only to find a far happier life away from the energy-sapping surrounds of Shawshank.
Ben Godfrey is part of an Atalanta team chasing their first ever Serie A title.
Moise Kean is challenging for the Golden Boot with Fiorentina. Anthony Gordon has played Champions League football with Newcastle United.
But, even by Everton’s standards, the sight of Neal Maupay dragging Marseille to a Ligue 1 title would make for particularly poisonous viewing.
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