According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Montpellier are pushing to sign ex-Preston loanee Stephy Mavididi.
Few could have predicted Mavidid’s trajectory when he played for North End. He arrived on a season-long loan from Arsenal having shown promise in League One with Charlton Athletic, and joined as Alex Neil’s second Preston signing.
Neil hoped that Mavididi would provide something North End didn’t have. A maverick attacker with height, strength, blistering pace and every trick in the bag.
Unfortunately, Mavididi never really got going at Deepdale. He managed just 11 appearances for Preston, and failed to score before Arsenal recalled him. After a second stint with Charlton, Mavididi made a move Preston fans couldn’t have predicted; he joined Juventus.
Yes, he started out in the Juventus Under-23’s. They play in the third tier of Italian football, so it wasn’t quite as impressive as it first sounded. Yet the speedy attacker did actually make his Serie A debut last season, showing that Juve think highly of him.
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Last summer, they loaned him out to Ligue 1 side Dijon. This was a big test for Mavididi; a chance to play top-flight football on a regular basis. With eight goals and two assists in 30 games, Mavididi has excelled in France.
The 21-year-old has been a threat to French defences this season, and he could now stay there. L’Equipe claim that Montpellier want Mavididi, and have already contacted him about a move.
Dijon can sign Mavididi permanently and move him on, with a top-flight stay now likely. It looks like he will join Andy Carroll, Danny Welbeck and Josh King in thriving away from Deepdale after struggling on loan.