Out-of-favour Manchester City forward Jack Grealish is closing in on rejoining Everton on a season-long loan deal.
According to an update from Ben Jacobs, while Manchester City preferred a permanent exit for Jack Grealish, Everton offered to cover 90 per cent of his wages, leading to optimism at the Merseyside club. The English journalist has asserted that the 30-year-old wants to rejoin Everton “over other offers” in the final days of the ongoing transfer window.
Meanwhile, reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has provided more context on the negotiations between Everton and Manchester City, revealing that talks have advanced, with the discussions “proceeding well over loan deal”.
Jack Grealish and his resurgence
Jack Grealish has resurrected his stuttering fortunes after a solid loan spell with Everton. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, the 30-year-old struggled to make his mark after joining Manchester City in a big-money move half a decade ago. The Citizens were thus desperate to offload him last summer, though a permanent exit did not materialise.
Grealish’s loan stint at Everton was impressive, with the English international scoring two goals and providing six assists in 20 Premier League games for the Merseyside club before a foot injury prematurely ended his campaign. Nevertheless, the former Aston Villa captain’s exploits have been good enough for several clubs to pursue his signature this summer.
Will Grealish return to Everton?
Everton’s interest in Jack Grealish is logical. The Manchester City attacker has demonstrated match-winning capability under Moyes, and Everton lack the Englishman’s creative output elsewhere in the squad. With the Merseyside club short of depth on the flanks, a return loan deal aligns with their immediate needs.
Meanwhile, the Aston Villa links make sense. The Villans have seen Jadon Sancho’s loan spell end and face uncertainty over Leon Bailey’s future, making the former Aston Villa captain a viable target. Despite Aston Villa’s signing of Alejandro Garnacho, Grealish remains a priority for the West Midlands club, where his familiarity could see him perform immediately.
However, reports have consistently indicated that Grealish prefers a permanent move to Everton, and he has signalled his preference to remain at the Merseyside club over a return to Aston Villa. With that preference driving negotiations, Everton remain confident of sealing the loan deal in the coming days.