Everton has reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign Jack Grealish on an initial season-long loan. The deal, which is pending a medical scheduled for today, includes an option for a permanent transfer valued at approximately £50 million ($67.3m).
The move follows a challenging season for the 29-year-old, who made only 16 starts across all competitions for City, just seven of which were in the Premier League. Grealish, whose contract at the Etihad Stadium runs until 2027, found himself behind Phil Foden, Savinho, Jeremy Doku, and others in the pecking order.
This is a stark contrast to his integral role in City’s 2022-23 treble-winning campaign, where he made 50 appearances and started every knockout game in the Champions League. Manager Pep Guardiola had publicly expressed a desire for Grealish to return to that level, stating in January, “Do I want the Jack that won the treble? Yeah, I want it… I know that he can do it because I saw him.”
Grealish joined City from his boyhood club Aston Villa in 2021 for a then-British record fee of £100 million. In 157 appearances for the club, he has scored 17 goals, provided 23 assists, and won three Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup, and the Club World Cup.
Should the transfer be finalised, Grealish would become Everton’s fifth major summer signing, following Thierno Barry, Mark Travers, Adam Aznou, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Carlos Alcaraz also made his loan move permanent.
The potential arrival of Grealish is viewed as a marquee signing for Everton, intended to inject the creativity and game-changing ability the team has lacked in attack, despite a strong defensive record last season. At his best, he could become the talisman to lead the club into a new era at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
He is expected to operate as a primary playmaker from central or left-sided positions, raising questions about how he will integrate with Iliman Ndiaye and new £25 million signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who occupy similar spaces. The team also still needs to address a lack of pace and goal threat on the right flank.
The move represents a significant financial commitment, with Everton set to cover a substantial portion of Grealish’s reported £300,000-a-week wages. While the deal carries inherent risk given his limited playing time last season, it could prove a masterstroke if he rediscovers his form and spearheads the team’s ambitions.
For Grealish, the transfer offers a crucial opportunity for regular first-team football ahead of next summer’s World Cup. For Everton’s new owners, The Friedkin Group, it serves as a major statement of intent, signalling an end to the club’s recent era of austerity.
