Neal Maupay

Maupay began his youth career at US Valbonne at age six in 2002,[4] before moving into the Nice academy in 2007.[5] He progressed through the ranks into the reserve team at the beginning of the 2012–13 season, scoring four goals in three early-season matches before receiving his maiden call into the first team squad on 15 September 2012,[6] for a Ligue 1 match versus Brest.[7] At age 16 years and 32 days,[8] Maupay made his professional debut as an injury-time substitute for Éric Bauthéac during the 3–2 win.[9] He was a regular inclusion in the first team squad from October 2012 through to March 2013 and signed a new two-and-a-half year contract in January 2013.[4][7] Maupay's season was ended by a torn cruciate ligament suffered during a reserve match on 14 April 2013.[6][10] Maupay made 19 appearances and scored four goals during the 2012–13 season and when making his Ligue 1 debut and scoring his first Ligue 1 goal,[7] he became the second-youngest player to achieve both feats.[11]

Despite his breakthrough into the first team squad during the 2012–13 season and after recovering from injury, Maupay was out of favour with manager Claude Puel during 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons,[12] which ultimately caused his departure in August 2015.[13] He made 53 appearances and scored 9 goals during three seasons as a first team player at the Allianz Riviera.[6]

On 10 August 2015, Maupay transferred to Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne on a four-year contract for a €500,000 fee.[13] Despite making 23 appearances and scoring three goals during the 2015–16 season, he departed on loan for the duration of 2016–17 and left the club in July 2017.[14][15]

On 20 July 2016, Maupay joined Ligue 2 club Brest on a season-long loan.[14] He had a good start to the 2016–17 season, scoring 10 goals in his opening 21 matches,[16] winning the August 2016 UNFP Ligue 2 Player of the Month award and receiving nominations in September,[17] October and December.[18][19][20] Injuries in December 2016 and February 2017 disrupted Maupay's good form and he finished the season with 12 goals in 31 appearances.[6][16][21]

On 14 July 2017, Maupay moved to England to join Championship club Brentford on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee,[15] reported to be £1.6 million.[22] The club's France scout Brendan MacFarlane, who would also go on to identify Saïd Benrahma, Julian Jeanvier and Bryan Mbeumo, played a key role in the identification of the player as a target.[23] He was deployed as a forward and scored three goals in his opening six appearances for the club,[24] with his first goal coming in a 4–3 defeat to Nottingham Forest on 12 August 2017.[25] By mid-December, Maupay was considered the best "super-sub" of 2017–18 Championship season so far, with four of his five league goals having been scored during substitute appearances.[26] He broke into the starting lineup during the protracted transfer of first choice forward Lasse Vibe away from Griffin Park in January 2018 and he assumed the role full time after Vibe's departure early the following month.[27][28] Maupay showed improved goalscoring form between mid-January and mid-April, with a run of seven goals in 15 matches.[25] He finished the 2017–18 season with 46 appearances and as the club's top-scorer, with 13 goals.[25][29]

Maupay had an excellent start to the 2018–19 season and scored 13 goals in his first 17 league appearances.[30] Five goals in August 2018 and four in September led to nominations for the August PFA Fans' Championship Player of the Month and the September EFL Championship Player of the Month awards respectively.[31][32] 18 goals in 30 appearances by the end of January 2019 saw Maupay win the EFL Player of the Year award at the 2019 London Football Awards.[30][33] He finished a mid-table season with 28 goals in 49 appearances and was voted the Brentford's Supporters' and Players' Player of the Year.[30][34][35]

On 5 August 2019, Maupay moved to Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion on undisclosed terms,[36] for a fee reported to be in the region of £20 million on a four-year deal.[37] Maupay scored on his debut in the opening match of the 2019–20 season, scoring the third for The Seagulls in a 3–0 away win over Watford.[38] On 14 September, Maupay opened the scoreline in a eventual 1–1 draw against Burnley, claiming his first home goal for the Sussex club.[39] Maupay scored his 10th goal of the season in a 1–1 away draw against Southampton on 16 July 2020, helping Brighton earn an important point towards safety.[40]

Maupay opened his scoring tally on the second game of the season scoring 2 inside the first 7 minutes in a eventual 3–0 away win over Newcastle.[41] On 26 September, Manchester United were given a penalty after the final whistle due to VAR giving a handball on Maupay right at the end. Bruno Fernandes converted the penalty with United winning the match 3–2. Maupay also scored a penalty himself earlier on in the game in Panenka style.[42] Maupay played in Brighton's 1–0 away victory over defending champions Liverpool on 3 February 2021 claiming their first league win at Anfield since 1982.[43]