Max Dean (footballer)

Max Dean

Personal information
Full name	Max Jimmy Dean [1]
Date of birth	(2004-02-21) 21 February 2004 (age 20)
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) [1]
Position(s)	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	17	(6)
International career‡
2024–	England U20	4	(4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:17, 26 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13:40, 12 December 2024 (UTC)

Max Jimmy Dean (born 21 February 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Belgian Pro League club Gent.

Club career

Leeds United

Dean began his career with Leeds United, ^[2] signing his first professional contract with the club in March 2021. ^[3]

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. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} 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. ^{[8] [9]} On 4 February 2023, Dean scored his first senior professional goal in a 2–0 away win over Bristol Rovers. ^[10]

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. ^[11]

Dean suffered an injury in February 2024. ^{[12] [13]} 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. ^{[14] [15]} 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. ^[16]

Gent

On 12 July 2024, Dean joined Belgian Pro League club Gent on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee. ^{[17] [18] [19]} 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. ^[20]

Dean scored in his next two games for Gent, in both legs of the third qualifying round tie against Silkeborg IF. ^{[21] [22]}

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 scored twice in the space of three games, including in wins over Club Brugge, ^[23] and Oud-Heverlee Leuven. ^[24]

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. ^[25] He scored on his debut, coming off the bench during a 2–1 win over Italy, ^[26] 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. ^[27]

Career statistics

As of match played 26 December 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

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 [28]	―			―		―		―		2 [c]	2	2	2
	2021–22 [29]	―			―		―		―		3 [c]	1	3	1
	2022–23 [30]	―			―		―		―		1 [c]	0	1	0
	Total		―		―		―		―		6	3	6	3
Milton Keynes Dons	2022–23 [30]	League One	9	1	0	0	0	0	―		0	0	9	1
	2023–24 [31]	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
Career total			55	22	3	4	0	0	11	4	10	6	79	36

1. Includes FA Cup
2. Includes EFL Cup
3. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
4. Three appearances and two goals in EFL Trophy, two appearances and one goal in League Two play-offs
5. Appearances in UEFA Conference League

Honours

Individual

• EFL Young Player of the Month: October 2023 ^[11]
• Milton Keynes Dons Young Player of the Year: 2023–24 ^[16]

References

1. Max Dean at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
2. "Money can't buy you Max Dean • The Square Ball". www.thesquareball.net. 8 November 2022.
3. "Max Dean signs professional deal". www.leedsunited.com. 26 March 2021.
4. "Teenage striker Dean joins MK Dons from Leeds". BBC Sport.
5. "Max Dean signs for MK Dons". www.leedsunited.com. 19 January 2023.
6. Jones, Oliver (20 January 2023). "Joe Gelhardt's 'exit' message to former Leeds United teammate amid own departure". LeedsLive.
7. "Who is MK Dons' latest signing Max Dean?".
8. "Leeds United loan watch as out-of-contract man contributes third game running and Bate continues climb".
9. "Sky Bet League One (Sky Sports)". Sky Sports.
10. "Bristol Rovers 0-2 Milton Keynes Dons". BBC Sport.
11. "MK Dons' Max Dean scoops the EFL's Young Player of the Month for October". www.efl.com. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
12. "Dean set to be sidelined for several weeks with injury".
13. "Dean set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury".
14. "Comeback Kid Dean wanted to make an immediate impact against Walsall".
15. "A song of fire and ice for Dean as he reclaims his Dons throne".
16. "Awards Night 2024". Milton Keynes Dons. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
17. "Max Dean Departs MK Dons". Milton Keynes Dons. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
18. "Welkom, Max Dean!". KAA Gent. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
19. "Max Dean: MK Dons striker joins Belgian Pro League club KAA Gent". BBC Sport. 12 July 2024.
20. "Vikingur vs Gent: UEFA Conference League". BBC. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
21. "Van vieren naar vloeken in blessuretijd: KAA Gent geeft late voorsprong in 95e minuut nog uit handen tegen Silkeborg (From celebrating to cursing in injury time: KAA Gent gives up a late lead in the 95th minute against Silkeborg)". Sporza (in Dutch). 8 August 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
22. "AA Gent redt zijn vel in Europa pas na verlengingen, Gandelman is de held tegen Silkeborg (Gent only saves its skin in Europe after extra time, Gandelman is the hero against Silkeborg)". Sporza (in Dutch). 15 August 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
23. "Club Brugge domineert, maar incasseert dreun tegen KAA Gent na heerlijk duel met 6 goals (Club Brugge dominates, but takes a blow against KAA Gent after a wonderful duel with 6 goals)". Sporza (in Dutch). 22 September 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
24. "KAA Gent wist midweek-uitschuiver uit met overtuigende zege tegen OH Leuven en wordt tweede (KAA Gent erases midweek slip-up with convincing win against OH Leuven and takes second place)". Sporza (in Dutch). 29 September 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
25. "England men's Elite League squad named for Italy and Czechia". englandfootball.com. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
26. "Report: England Men's ELS 2-1 Italy". englandfootball.com. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
27. "Report: England ELS 3-0 Czechia". englandfootball.com. 14 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
28. "Games played by Max Dean in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
29. "Games played by Max Dean in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
30. "Games played by Max Dean in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
31. "Games played by Max Dean in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 October 2023.