'One thing I know' - Neal Maupay makes bold claim after Everton reject transfer offer

Everton striker Neal Maupay has been speaking on his thoughts for this season after a loan move to Marseille was rejected

Neal Maupay insists he is enjoying himself at Everton and is looking forward to this season despite the Blues rejecting a loan offer from Olympique Marseille for the striker. As reported by the ECHO, Everton are hopeful of securing a permanent move for Maupay and while he has entered the last 12 months of his difficult stint on Merseyside, though the club retains the ability to extend it by a further year next summer That situation is understood to have complicated Marseille’s offer for the forward. An option to buy the striker at the end of the loan deal was to be included among the terms – but under them Everton would have been required to renew Maupay’s deal in order to receive a fee.

When asked about his happiness at life at Everton on That Peter Crouch Podcast, Maupay said: "Yeah, actually I’m enjoying myself. I think last year was a very good boost for me.

“I went back to a place where I knew everyone (on loan at Brentford) and obviously my confidence went back up again. I think that’s something I really needed, and now I’m back here I’m fit, ready to play, and in football you never know what tomorrow will be.

“One thing I know for sure is I’m ready to go, and I’m actually looking forward to this season."

The Frenchman netted eight goals in 31 matches for the west London outfit, but he has only ever struck once in 32 games for Everton. Manager Sean Dyche insisted he appreciated Maupay’s competitive nature after he was sent off in a 2-0 victory over League Two Stockport County in a behind-closed-doors friendly shortly after his appointment, and said: “I know who Neal is, as in he’s got a little bit of fire in him. I quite like that actually.”

However, following his loan return to Brentford, Maupay made some strong claims about Everton’s supporters, telling Sky Sports: “I’m always honest and tell the truth; last season, I didn’t enjoy myself.

“I didn’t enjoy my football and life up there was tough. The people around the club, the fans, made my life really difficult.”