Tony Cascarino claims Neal Maupay is a ‘glorified Championship player’ who is not fit to lead Everton attack
Neal Maupay is a “glorified Championship striker” and is ill-equipped to lead the line for Everton, according to Tony Cascarino.
Speaking live on talkSPORT (27 August), the pundit claimed that following Everton’s poor start to the Premier League season, with no wins or goals in the opening three fixtures, Maupay is not blessed with aerial ability, pace or goalscoring.
Since moving to Goodison Park from Brighton last summer, the Frenchman has only managed one goal in all competitions, failing to live up to his £15million price tag.
On talkSPORT, as quoted by The Boot Room, Cascarino said: “Neal Maupay, I think it’s a big ask on him to lead the line. I don’t think he’s got the physical presence to lead the line and he’s not sharp and quick.
“I talked about Eddie Nketiah earlier, who’s sharp and quick and makes space for himself, Neal Maupay doesn’t do that. He’s really a glorified Championship player. He did really well, he’ll get goals on a regular basis at a certain level.
“But there’s a massive ask here. He’s not blessed with being great in the air and if he’s not blessed with loads of pace, he’s not bad technically.
“He’s not a bad finisher but you know he’s not a tremendous finisher. That doesn’t make him a top-level footballer to me.”
More needed
Maupay will find it very difficult to get chances in an Everton shirt this season amid an influx of new attacking talent.
While the Toffees’ biggest issue so far this season has been converting chances, a fit Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Arnaut Danjuma and soon-to-be-announced Beto will all be ahead of the Frenchman in Sean Dyche’s pecking order.
Youngster Youssef Chermiti has a lot to prove for Everton, but will certainly get some chances this season considering his own £15million fee.
Maupay has proved himself to be a reliable Premier League goalscorer in Sussex with the Seagulls but has proved almost pointless since moving to Merseyside. He is approaching the one-year anniversary of his first and only Everton goal, which in fairness was the crucial single goal in a 1-0 victory over West Ham back in September.
However, Cascarino is correct in his analysis of Maupay. He offers very little going forward and does not have the presence of a Calvert-Lewin or much notable pace.
He will be lucky to earn any significant minutes this season, and the Toffees will have a really tough time offloading him for anywhere near the price they paid for him.
In other Everton news, the Toffees’ new striker is set to undergo a medical on Sunday ahead of a big-money move.