New Everton forward Neal Maupay says he will "fight and give everything" for the cause, while insisting he is ready to hit the ground running with the Blues.

The 26-year-old Frenchman becomes the Club’s sixth summer addition, following the arrivals of James Tarkowski, Rúben Vinagre, Dwight McNeil, Conor Coady and Amadou Onana.

Having spent the past three seasons with Brighton & Hove Albion, where he scored 26 goals in 84 Premier League starts, Maupay forged a strong reputation for being a fierce competitor.

And, he reveals, that reputation preceded him when meeting his new Everton teammates for the first time at Finch Farm.

“I have met almost all of them and I knew most of them, obviously from playing against them,” he told evertontv. “It's funny - they made some jokes with me saying like, 'We hated you but now you're one of us so we'll love you!' 

“It seems like the group is doing really well together. I'm excited to get back on the pitch and get to work.

“It’s just my nature — when I do something I do it at 100 per cent. When I play for a club, for a manager, for my teammates, the fans, I am ready to do anything at hand to help the club to win. That’s just who I am.

“When I step on the pitch, I will run, I will tackle, I will make assists, goals… Whatever the team needs, I will do it, because I want to be successful and I want my team to win.

“You can have ups and downs but we all need to give everything and I think that's what I bring to the team... I will fight.”

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, manager Frank Lampard reiterated his desire to reinforce his attacking options.

Maupay’s arrival was sealed hours later and, while ineligible for Saturday’s trip to former club Brentford, the new Blues forward says he is raring to go after making the “easy decision” to join Lampard on Merseyside.

“It feels amazing — I’m just so happy to be here,” Maupay explains. “Everton is a big, big club, with very good players and unbelievable fans. 

“The manager, too. He has been an unbelievable footballer, obviously, he is an England legend. To have a chat with him and for him to tell me, ‘I know you, I know what you can bring to the team and we need someone like you in the team’, meant a lot to me.

“It just felt natural for me and it was a simple decision.

“For me, I knew straight away I wanted to play for Everton and help the club to succeed in this league.

“I haven't played the first three games of the season but I've been training really hard, I'm fresh and I just can’t wait to get started.”

Maupay has enjoyed playing against Everton in the past, scoring twice — once at Goodison Park and once at Brighton’s Amex Stadium — during his time with the Seagulls.

The Blues’ vociferous support on home soil and on the road did not go unnoticed by Maupay, who is now aiming to help the Club get “back where it belongs”.

“Hopefully the Evertonians will like me because I've played a few games against Everton and I've scored a couple of goals, but I really liked the fact that when you play against Everton how much the fans are behind the team,” Maupay adds. “They almost hate you when you're on the other side, but I'm sure they will love me now.

“I think everyone is working on the same path and trying to make the Club back where it belongs. 

“It is exciting. 

“It’s a new challenge for me and it is a good challenge for the team. Last season was hard for everyone here at the Club and hopefully this season will be better. 

“I’m here for the Club to help this team get back on the right track. I will give everything day in and day out – in training and in games – to make sure we can have success.

“This is what the fans want — they want players that are ready to give their best, ready to fight to make the Club successful. 

“I am looking forward to meeting them. I will always give my best for them, and, yeah… Up the Toffees!”