Max Dean (footballer)
English footballer (born 2004)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Max Jimmy Dean (born 21 February 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Belgian Pro League club Gent.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Max Jimmy Dean[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 21 February 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Ormskirk, England [2] | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Gent | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Leeds United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2024 | Milton Keynes Dons | 38 | (16) |
| 2024– | Gent | 33 | (13) |
| 2025 | Jong Gent | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024 | England U20 | 4 | (4) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 09:20, 7 April 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 13:40, 12 December 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Leeds United
Dean began his career with Leeds United,[3] signing his first professional contract with the club in March 2021.[4]
Milton Keynes Dons
On 20 January 2023, Dean signed for League One club Milton Keynes Dons on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee, reuniting with his former Leeds United U23 coach Mark Jackson.[5][6][7][8] He made his senior professional debut for the club a day later as a second-half substitute in a 2–1 away win against Forest Green Rovers.[9][10] On 4 February 2023, Dean scored his first senior professional goal in a 2–0 away win over Bristol Rovers.[11]
Following an impressive start to the 2023–24 season, Dean was awarded the EFL Young Player of the Month award for October 2023 having scored four goals in five appearances.[12]
Dean suffered an injury in February 2024.[13][14] After returning to the first-team, he scored two goals and made two further assists in a 5–0 victory against Walsall on 30 March 2024.[15][16] With the club reaching the play-offs, Dean finished the season as top scorer with 19 goals in all competitions, and was named Milton Keynes Dons' Young Player of the Year.[17]
Gent
On 12 July 2024, Dean joined Belgian Pro League club Gent on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[18][19][20] He made his competitive debut for the club on 1 August 2024 in a 3–0 second leg UEFA Conference League second qualifying round away win over Vikingur, a game in which he provided an assist and scored from the penalty spot.[21]
Dean scored in his next two games for Gent, in both legs of the third qualifying round tie against Silkeborg IF.[22][23]
Dean was used sparingly by coach Wouter Vrancken in the early weeks of the 2024–25 Belgian Pro League season, but once given a starting place, he scored twice in three matches, including wins over Club Brugge,[24] and Oud-Heverlee Leuven.[25]
International career
In October 2024, Dean was called up to an England age group squad for the first time, being selected for the England U20.[26] He scored on his debut, coming off the bench during a 2–1 win over Italy,[27] going on to score twice in a 3-0 home win over the Czech Republic later in the week in his second game for his country.[28]
Career statistics
- As of match played 22 March 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Leeds United U21 | 2020–21[29] | ― | ― | ― | ― | 2[c] | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||
| 2021–22[30] | ― | ― | ― | ― | 3[c] | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| 2022–23[31] | ― | ― | ― | ― | 1[c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | ― | ― | ― | ― | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | ||||||
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2022–23[31] | League One | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ― | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2023–24[32] | League Two | 29 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ― | 4[d] | 3 | 34 | 19 | ||
| Total | 38 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ― | 4 | 3 | 43 | 20 | |||
| KAA Gent | 2024–25[1] | Belgian Pro League | 17 | 6 | 2 | 3 | — | 11[e] | 4 | ― | 30 | 13 | ||
| 2025–26[1] | Belgian Pro League | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | ― | 16 | 6 | ||||
| Total | 32 | 12 | 3 | 3 | ― | 11 | 4 | ― | 46 | 19 | ||||
| Career total | 70 | 28 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 95 | 42 | ||
- Includes FA Cup, Belgian Cup
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- Three appearances and two goals in EFL Trophy, two appearances and one goal in League Two play-offs
- Appearances in UEFA Conference League
Honours
Individual
- EFL Young Player of the Month: October 2023[12]
- Milton Keynes Dons Young Player of the Year: 2023–24[17]