‘Verbal agreement’: Neal Maupay close to completing loan deal to PL club

Everton forward Neal Maupay is close to signing for his former side Brentford on a season-long loan deal.

The £15m striker is ‘on his way’ for a medical at the London after a ‘verbal agreement’ was reached between the two clubs.

That is according to Fabrizio Romano, who confirmed via his Twitter that the loan deal does include an option to buy.

Romano tweeted: “EXCLUSIVE: Brentford reached verbal agreement to sign Neal Maupay on loan with buy option from Everton.

Player on his way to medical tests right now.”

Neal Maupay move is ideal for both player and club after disappointing year for the Frenchman

Neal Maupay played for Brentford for two years between 2017 and 2019, scoring 37 goals in 85 games during his time in the capital.

However, following his £15m move to Goodison Park from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer, the 27-year-old has managed just one Premier League strike for the Toffees.

Indeed, Maupay has not scored a Premier League goal for the Blues since his match-winning strike in a 1-0 win over West Ham United on September 18th, 2022.

It has been a disastrous transfer for all parties and a move away from Goodison Park suits both the player and the club.

The Frenchman’s poor form overlapped into this season, missing as he has a number of key chances in the opening weeks of the campaign, notably against Fulham in the Premier League opener.

The arrival of Beto from Udinese in a £26m deal, as well as 19-year-old Youssef Chermiti, means that Maupay would likely find playing time limited, especially once Dominic Calvert-Lewin returns to fitness.

Another departure that looks close to completion is Alex Iwobi’s move to Fulham, with the Blues reportedly earning a fee of £22m for the 27-year-old midfielder, who has just one year remaining on his current deal at Goodison Park.