As soon as the name of Maxwel Cornet is mentioned, it immediately refers to his incredible exploits against Manchester City. Semi-finalist of the Champions League in 2020 with Olympique Lyonnais, the Ivorian international had left his mark, particularly on Pep Guardiola, who must still have his name in the back of his mind. But since his departure from OL, the trajectory of the versatile 29-year-old winger has become more complex. After a convincing spell at Burnley, he joined West Ham, before going on loan to Southampton then Genoa, where his playing time was reduced.
A return hampered by injuries
At the start of the season, Cornet returned to Genoa on a loan from West Ham, after a successful first experience in the second half of 2024/25. A debut praised by Patrick Vieira, then coach of the Italian club, after his first goal in Rossoblù colors against Venice: “He’s not at his best yet, but he’s done a great job. I am very happy. He lost a few balls that he shouldn’t have lost, which means we have areas to improve, but he’s a quality player.
But his momentum (2 goals, 1 assist in 7 Serie A matches) was quickly stopped by a long calf injury, which kept him away from the field until the end of the season. West Ham then decided to loan him again to Genoa. Returning to the competition, however, the Ivorian saw Patrick Vieira, who was counting on him, being sacked and replaced by Daniele De Rossi. Since then, muscle problems have been piling up: Cornet has already missed twelve matches with the Italian club and is struggling to convince his new coach.
A unclear future
His rare appearances do not go as well as last season. Whistled after missing a penalty in the final moments against Parma (0-0), the former Lyonnais was not spared by the Italian press, who judged him “unconvincing since his return from injury” and believes that “his late entries do not bring enough”. Latest episode to date: a penalty conceded two minutes after coming into play against Napoli. An arbitration decision which sparked controversy, with some observers believing that the foul should not have been called.
Remaining on the bench during the following match against Cremonese, Cornet saw his future darken. Loaned without purchase option to Genoa, he may not return to London next summer and be directly transferred elsewhere, according to WestHamZone. The Ivorian is under contract with the Hammers until 2027. “I am firstly focused on my season, on a personal and collective level, and we will see then”he recently confided to Le Progrès, already mentioning a possible future retraining as a sports agent.
“My childhood friend, now my agent, works in one of the biggest agencies in England. He asked me if I would be interested. It’s in the back of my mind, but my priority is to be a businessman”he explained. At 29, Maxwel Cornet still has many good years ahead of him. But before thinking about the post-career, the urgency lies elsewhere: to get back into full shape and convince Daniele De Rossi to give him back a central role at Genoa, in order to bounce back in England or elsewhere…
