Neal Maupay's transfer to Marseille has turned sour with a report in France revealing he only participates in warm-ups.
Per leading French publication L'Equipe, the forward has been banished from first-team training and meetings.
I didn't like him at all! Ben Mee reveals his thoughts on former Brentford teammate Neal Maupay
The 29-year-old joined Marseille from Everton in the summer of 2024 after effectively cutting ties with the Toffees.
It was an initial loan with option to buy.
Roberto De Zerbi's side decided to trigger the £15million option in the summer.
However, it was expected just to be a way to make money, but no club bought him.
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As a result, Maupay stayed, and he has yet to play a single minute this season.
He was an unused substitute during one Ligue 1 clash against Paris FC on the second weekend of the year, but that is as close as he's made it to the pitch.
And things aren't looking good for Maupay, as outlined in L'Equipe's report.
“Maupay has rarely been prolific and his lack of stats and the arrival of new forwards in the shape of Amine Gouiri (who joined in January), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Igor Paixao was clearly going to further reduce the Frenchman’s game time," the report read.
"However, there were no buyers for the former Brentford and Everton centre-forward, and so he remained at OM but very much on the margins.
“He only participates in the warm-ups and then for the rest of the session, does passes with the assistant manager and laps of the pitch.
Neal Maupay is no stranger to winding people up on social media
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Neal Maupay is no stranger to winding people up on social mediaCredit: Getty
"Maupay is no longer included in matchday squads and is no longer even summoned to team meetings.”
Last year, Maupay made 24 appearances in all competitions.
He scored four goals and provided four assists, and De Zerbi made it clear that Marseille needed better attacking players.
As a result, he's been dropped, and there will likely be a few Premier League fans who are happy.
Maupay, the pantomime villain
Ever since he stepped foot in the English top flight, the striker found a way to wind up fans and players.
He seemed to relish and love it, especially when Brighton played Crystal Palace.
Maupay had a reputation for being a wind-up merchant
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Maupay had a reputation for being a wind-up merchantCredit: Getty
But it went to another level when Maupay was on loan at Brentford from Everton.
The striker scored against Tottenham Hotspur and replicated James Maddison's darts celebration, which angered the England international.
He said Maupay hadn't scored enough goals to warrant his own celebration.
This fascinated the striker, who said: “Believe it or not, that wasn’t planned.
“I scored and as I was running, I thought I’m going to throw a dart. He celebrates his goals like that, but apparently you’re not allowed to throw a dart, it’s only him that can do it. The way he got offended, it was quite funny.
“Big man [Ivan Toney] got away with it because he did it as well but everyone went for me. That’s class, I can’t lie.
Maddison wasn't happy but Maupay loved it
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Maddison wasn't happy but Maupay loved itCredit: TNT Sports
“It would have been better if we had won. But at their place in front of their fans, got all their players raging – that’s goated.
“Just by throwing a dart I got 11 players on toast,” he added. “It was so easy."
There were several other moments, but another standout one was when Maupay got right under Tony Bellew's skin.
After the Toffees lost to Nottingham Forest in December 2024, the striker posted a message on X that said: "Whenever I am having a bad day I just check the Everton score and smile."
He was still contracted to Everton at this point, and Bellew phoned up talkSPORT to tear into him.
He said: "It's not the nicest thing to be done by a player who is obviously on the payroll.
Neal Maupay playing for Everton
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Maupay became a pantomime villain
"He's a muppet.
"When Everton are doing okay, you don't hear a murmur out of the little squeak - the weasel.
"But the minute Everton are losing or underperforming, then the weasel shows up.
"It's just very, very sad, and he should worry about the team he's actually playing for because while he was at Everton, the last thing he did was play football - he was useless.
"I just don't understand why he is having a go at his paymasters.
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"Brighton were desperate to get him out; we just didn't know what we were taking, but we've found out he's a little, horrible wind-up merchant, so he is what he is."
So, Maupay has made a career out of rattling cages, but his latest situation isn't ideal at all.