Nottingham Forest are set to sign Premier League striker Neal Maupay for £15 million with Brighton boss Graham Potter admitting that a replacement could arrive at the Amex before September’s transfer deadline, speaking to Sussex Live.
If it’s consistency you’re looking for, well then Neal Maupay might not be the man for you.
The fiery Frenchman is just as likely to locate row Z as he is the top corner. But as a back-up option for Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis, £15 million Maupay certainly feels like a punt worth taking.
Ok, he’s not the most reliable. But, on his day the former Brentford talisman, is a real nuisance for opposition defenders; A relentless runner with a penchant for the spectacular, and a man well suited to Steve Cooper’s high-energy, counter-attacking style.
A tally of 26 goals across three seasons for a largely mid-table Brighton side is not to be sniffed at either.
Nottingham Forest set to sign Neal Maupay from Brighton
Maupay was left out of Potter’s squad for Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Newcastle United. And, tellingly, the Brighton boss opted against mentioning the 26-year-old when discussing the attacking options at his disposal, while indicating that a replacement could arrive over the next fortnight.
“We have got some good attacking options. Deniz (Undav) didn’t come on today (against Newcastle). We still have got Evan Ferguson, still got Julio (Enciso) who we believe in,” Potter says.
“We’ve still got young players. Leandro Trossard has played up front as a nine, so then Kaoru (Mitoma) can play wide. So there’s lots of different profiles from an attacking perspective.
“But as I say, while the window is open, we have to keep looking and see what is out there.”
According to The Athletic, Undav – scorer of 45 goals in 68 games at Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise – would have moved ahead of Maupay in Potter’s pecking order even if the latter had stayed at the Amex. Julio Enciso, meanwhile, will get his chance to shine after arriving for £10 million.
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