Everton have now approached Brighton & Hove Albion to explore Frank Lampard’s interest in rivalling Nottingham Forest and Fulham for the summer transfer of striker Neal Maupay.
Everton contact Brighton for Neal Maupay despite accepted Nottingham Forest bid
According to 90min, Everton and Fulham have now contacted Brighton & Hove Albion over the availability of Neal Maupay. Even though the Amex Stadium outfit have accepted a bid to sell the 26-year-old to newly-promoted Nottingham Forest in the late stages of the sales.
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Steve Cooper is eager to add Maupay to his long list of fresh faces at the City Ground after gaining promotion to the Premier League. But Frank Lampard also respects what Maupay can offer at Goodison Park, where there are concerns over Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness.
Calvert-Lewin only started 15 of his 17 Premier League appearances last season, having sat out 18 games through various injuries. And the 25-year-old is yet to feature this term, after sustaining a knee injury in training on the eve of the Toffees’ curtain raiser against Chelsea.
Marco Silva, likewise, hopes to add Maupay to bolster his attacking depth with Aleksandar Mitrovic his only recognised striker. While Leeds United are keeping close tabs on events at Brighton, with Jesse Marsch studying a late swoop to add depth behind Patrick Bamford.
Nottingham Forest are locked in talks with Maupay and his agent to convince the Brighton outcast of a transfer, though. The Seagulls are ready to sell the Frenchman to Cooper after Graham Potter omitted the forward from his matchday side at home to Newcastle United.
Maupay also watched Brighton start the Premier League season with a 2-1 away win over Manchester United on the bench. He additionally grew familiar with a backup role on the south coast last term, having started in 25 of his 32 games for eight goals and two assists.
Neal Maupay is pushing for his departure from the Amex Stadium this summer
Potter left Maupay at home as Brighton drew 0-0 at home to Newcastle amid reports by the Daily Mail that Nottingham Forest offered Brighton £10m, with a further £5m in add-ons. The total package equals the £15m price tag that talkSPORT report the Seagulls have set.
Brighton paid Brentford £20m to sign Maupay in 2019, but he is now in the last year of the four-year contract agreed at the time. And falling down Potter’s pecking order during the latter stages of last season had already began to have an impact on the forward’s morale.
“Neal has been frustrated because he has not been playing, which is understandable,” said Potter after the final day of the season during May, via quotes by Sussex Live. “But it was a chance for him to come on and help the team [against West Ham], which I think he did.”
Maupay’s disappointment does not seem to be regressing, either, with talkSPORT transfer journalist Alex Crook noting the striker has been pushing Brighton to sell him this summer. He boasts 27 goals and seven assists from 109 games with the Seagulls in all competitions.
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