Everton have issued a blunt farewell message to Neal Maupay following his deadline day move to Marseille. The 28-year-old likened his Goodison Park exit to a prison escape on social media earlier this week, prompting an angry reaction from Toffees fans.
Maupay was shipped off to Brentford on loan last season due to manager Sean Dyche favouring other options up top. His brief return to Merseyside was not a happy one, as the Frenchman was filmed in an angry confrontation with Everton supporters after their 4-0 battering at Tottenham last weekend.
That turned out to be his last trip as a Toffees player, as he has now joined French side Marseille on a season-long loan which will be made permanent for around £3.4million next summer.
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When news broke earlier this week that the two clubs had reached an agreement, Maupay reacted by posting a video clip of the film 'The Shawshank Redemption' in which the main character celebrates successfully escaping prison.
It is therefore no surprise to see that Everton's brief statement confirming Maupay's departure did not include a thank you, and it even referenced his poor goals return.
The message posted to their official website read: "Neal Maupay has left Everton to join Olympique de Marseille on loan for 2024/25, with the French club having an obligation to buy the forward at the end of the season.
"Maupay moves to the Ligue 1 side after spending the 2023/24 campaign on loan with one of his former clubs Brentford. The 28-year-old Frenchman joined Everton in August 2022, making 32 appearances for the Blues and scoring one goal."
Maupay made his first foray into English football with Brentford in 2017, and his two prolific seasons in the Championship convinced Brighton to bring him to the Premier League. The frontman bagged 27 goals in 109 games for the Seagulls before signing for Everton in 2022.
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Toffees boss Sean Dyche expressed sympathy for Maupay earlier this week, before the player fired shots at the club on social media. "He's had a real tough run at Everton Football Club," said Dyche.
"The (board) know that, he knows that, so we'll have to wait and see if something new comes for him or if he can stay here and see what he can give us."
