Neal Maupay riled up Everton supporters recently with his controversial comments (Image: Getty)
Everton manager Sean Dyche insisted he had bigger issues to concentrate on than Neal Maupay disrespecting the club on social media.
The Frenchman, whose last appearance for the Toffees was in a Carabao Cup win over Doncaster in August 2023, has had an unhappy time at Goodison Park and is currently on loan at Marseille as he sees out the final months of his contract in southern France.
After Everton’s defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, the forward wrote on X: “Whenever I’m having a bad day, I just check the Everton score and smile.”
But while Maupay is still technically the club’s player, the Ligue 1 side currently bear the responsibility for him, including financially in terms of his wages.
Dyche laughed it off, saying: “I think it is fair to say there is a bigger picture to Everton Football Club that I am focusing on and I don’t think I need to be too worried about his comments.”
Asked if there would be any disciplinary action, he added: “I don’t think we’ll be worried about that.”
Dyche’s greater concern is guiding the team away from the bottom three as they are now only two points above the relegation zone.
However, he does not expect to be able to affect that in the January transfer window, despite the recent ownership change.
The Friedkin Group, which is valued at £10billion, completed its takeover last month but there will not be a windfall for Dyche to boost the squad as the Toffees have to remain within profitability and sustainability rules, having been twice deducted points for breaches last season.
It seems likely Dyche – whose contract expires in the summer – will be asked to continue with essentially the same group of players and that makes it vital they hang on to striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, despite him having less than six months left on his contract and being linked with Atalanta.
“There has been no contact from anyone. There is bound to be rumours, that’s the nature of it,” said Dyche.
“I think we think about that (Calvert-Lewin’s future) if it happens but as there has been no contact, no discussion is needed.”
On the possibility of bringing players in, he said: “There are (financial) parameters, the owners have made that clear.
“The one thing it’s unlikely to be is hundreds of millions of pounds, whether you have got it or not – and our owners are pretty wealthy.
“Forgetting about the numbers, I’ve been doing this a long time in the and notoriously January is very tough.
“I’m not saying no, but it’s tough and you’ve seen it down the years. Usually if big deals are done they pay a lot of money for those deals to happen.”
Everton have confirmed details of two of the three test events to be held at their new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium ahead of its opening next season.
An under-18s fixture in front of 10,000 fans will be held on February 17, with an under-21 game to follow late March or early April with a capacity of 25,000.
A third event at full capacity, or close to, will be held later in the season.