Not-so-fond farewells: fans bid good riddance to two Premier League players from Everton and Chelsea
Two forwards have departed their Premier League clubs amid rocky relationships with their supporters today, and fans on X have not minced their words.
Neal Maupay was the first to draw fans’ ire today (and not for the first time in his career) with his reaction to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano breaking the news of his move away from Everton to Marseille.
The forward signed for the Toffees in 2022 and spent last season on loan at Brentford; he didn’t seem particularly gutted to be leaving today. He reposted Romano’s ‘here we go’ post on X about his move with a video from the end of The Shawshank Redemption - when the main character is celebrating his escape from prison.
It comes only a few days after Maupay criticised fans who abused Everton’s players at a train station following their 4-0 defeat to Tottenham.
After scoring only one goal in 29 appearances for the Toffees, however, there are not many fans in his corner. Supporters were quick to react to their now-former striker’s ‘banter’ online.
It’s fair to say there will not be many teary farewells for Maupay at Goodison Park.
Elsewhere, Chelsea are continuing their attempt at a clearout by saying goodbye to striker Romelu Lukaku. Despite re-signing for the club in what was reportedly a £97.5m deal in 2021, and describing his return as “an amazing feeling”, things quickly fell apart.
The Belgian gave an interview to Sky Italia in December 2021 in which he confessed he was “not happy” with his role under then-manager Thomas Tuchel. He also added: “I have always said that I have Inter in my head. I know I will return to Inter, I really hope so. I am in love with Italy.”
Though Lukaku later apologised, his relationship with the club never truly recovered - he did get his wish, returning to Inter Milan on loan at the end of the 2022 season. He then spent 2023/24 on loan to Roma and did not appear to have a future under Enzo Maresca, meaning Chelsea have been looking to move him and his huge wages on to another club. They have finally done so today, with Lukaku securing a move to Napoli to play under Antonio Conte, with whom he won the Serie A at Inter Milan.
The £30m Chelsea have reportedly recouped on their almost £100m payment for Lukaku three years ago is far from ideal - but fans don’t exactly seem devastated over the deal, and have pointed out that (at the time of writing) the club have yet to post a goodbye message on their social media.