‘Glorified Championship player’: TalkSPORT pundit says 27-year-old simply isn’t good enough for Everton

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Everton have been told that striker Neal Maupay isn’t good enough to play in the Premier League.

Pundit Tony Cascarino was speaking on TalkSPORT (27/8 7:12am) after another difficult day for The Toffees.

Sean Dyche’s side looked set to earn their first point of the season against fellow strugglers Wolves at Goodison Park.

The game was goalless until the 87^th minute when striker Sasa Kalajdzic scored his first Premier League goal thanks to some poor marking from Everton’s centre-backs.

Dyche rotated his side, introducing youngsters Jarrad Branthwaite and Lewis Dobbin to the team.

He also needed to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin who picked up yet another unfortunate injury against Aston Villa.

Dyche went with Arnaut Danjuma in an unusual centre-forward role.

This meant Neal Maupay staying on the Everton bench which isn’t a good sign for the 27-year-old.

After signing from Brighton for £15m last summer, he’s scored a single Premier League goal in Everton colours.

Dyche desperately needs a forward who can find the back of the net but the Frenchman doesn’t appear to be that man.

Maupay not good enough for Everton

Talking about Everton’s woes, Cascarino said: “Neal Maupay, I think it’s a big ask on him to lead the line.

“I don’t think he’s got the physical presence to lead the line and he’s not sharp and quick.

“I talked about Eddie Nketiah earlier, who’s sharp and quick and makes space for himself, Neal Maupay doesn’t do that.

“He’s really a glorified Championship player. He did really well, he’ll get goals on a regular basis at a certain level.

“But there’s a massive ask here. He’s not blessed with being great in the air and if he’s not blessed with loads of pace, he’s not bad technically.

“He’s not a bad finisher but you know he’s not a tremendous finisher. That doesn’t make him a top-level footballer to me.”

Everton are looking at alternatives to Maupay in the transfer market as he’s simply not good enough to start regularly.

Beto appears to be on his way to Goodison Park, while Danny Ings is also being considered.

Dyche not backing Maupay to start yesterday even in the absence of Calvert-Lewin is a bad sign.

Despite impressing his teammates in pre-season, he has been linked with a move away from the club this summer.

It might be the right time for both parties to part ways if a replacement can be signed.