Banished Premier League star could make shock return after being made to train with reserves

Former Brentford star Neal Maupay has been banished from the first team set-up at Marseille. A report has stated that the ex-Brighton forward currently only participates in warm-ups. French publication L'Equipe claims the 29-year-old has been ostracised from first-team training and meetings. Maupay joined Marseille from Everton in the summer of 2024. The striker had two spells with Brentford, from 2019-2019, and then on another, while on loan from the Toffees, in 2023. Maupay made 24 appearances in all competitions last season for Marseille. He scored four goals and bagged four assists. However, Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi deemed Maupay not up to scratch as he looked to bolster his side with new attackers. Everton confirmed his departure in the summer , however, Maupay has since been dropped and has yet to play a single minute for Marseille this season. The report made damning reading for the Frenchman. "Maupay has rarely been prolific and his lack of stats and the arrival of new forwards in the shape of Amine Gouiri (who joined in January), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Igor Paixao was clearly going to further reduce the Frenchman’s game time," the report read. "However, there were no buyers for the former Brentford and Everton centre-forward, and so he remained at OM but very much on the margins. He only participates in the warm-ups and then for the rest of the session, does passes with the assistant manager and laps of the pitch." The report concluded: "Maupay is no longer included in matchday squads and is no longer even summoned to team meetings." After making his name with Brentford, and then Brighton , Everton spent big in order to secure the Frenchman's services in August 2022. However, he only played 32 times across two seasons and later hit out at the club on social media. Speaking on his ill-fated move to Everton, Maupay told Give Me Sport : "I think pretty much everything, to be honest with you. "The club wasn't in the right place in terms of the manager because we changed the manager that season. I think the way we were playing didn't fit my game. "If you try to play long ball football and put crosses into a player like me, that doesn’t match my characteristics, so it won't work. I think sometimes it just doesn't work out. You never know before you join a club or a manager, but it's part of football." Maupay could now be eyeing a return to the Premier League . According to Le 10 Sport Brentford have recently shown an interest in bringing Maupay back to the club, with Trabzonspor and Sassuolo also reportedly registering an interest in signing him. The French outlet claimed over the summer that the Bees had made contact with his club to discuss the terms of a potential transfer, although a move failed to materialise. Should Brentford revive that interest in January, however, it could see Maupay make a shock return to the Premier League. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.