Jack Grealish Joins Everton on Loan From Man City With Fitness Crucial to Permanent Deal

Jack Grealish is set to return to Merseyside on a season-long loan after Everton and Manchester City reached an agreement. Football journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that the winger will undergo his medical as an Everton player on Tuesday, 1 September 2026.

Everton had an option to buy Grealish for £50 million at the end of his first loan spell, but the club did not trigger it. His January foot injury complicated any potential permanent move, while the £50 million price was also considered too high for Everton.

Back in the Game

Grealish seems to be in better physical shape in August, having played two games with Manchester City. This may have prompted the return of loan negotiations.

Aston Villa and Sunderland were among the clubs linked to Grealish, although reports about Sunderland's interest were disputed. Ultimately, Grealish reportedly decided to continue with a familiar club as the transfer window closed.

His appearance at the Cardiff-Wrexham match also prompted playful speculation among fans that he could end up at Wrexham, the club co-owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

A few hours before the Grealish news came out, Manchester City agreed a £65 million deal with Everton for winger Iliman Ndiaye. This, after City's £80-million ($108 million) bid for Liverpool's Cody Gakpo was rejected.

Ndiaye's move to City also provides a neat symmetry to the deal, with the Everton winger heading to Manchester while Grealish returns to Merseyside. Both Ndiaye and Grealish are wingers.

Grealish would likely want to make his move permanent before he becomes a free agent by summer 2027. However, he would have to ensure he is fit to prove his worth this season.

What Happened to Jack Grealish?

Grealish emerged as one of Aston Villa's most influential attacking players before his £100 million move to Manchester City in 2021. He captained Aston Villa, his boyhood club, for more than two years, from 2019 until his final season in 2021.

He was fouled 167 times, a Premier League record for a single season since records began in 1998-99. He became the first British player to be transferred for a reported £100 million. ($135 million). He became an important part of the Manchester City squad that won the treble in the 2022-23 season, claiming the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

Grealish has since claimed that he had a hard time adjusting to Man City during his first season. He also faced significant media scrutiny during his first season, with teammates Kevin De Bruyne and İlkay Gündoğan defending him publicly.

By the 2024-2025 season, he seemingly lost his form and was increasingly sidelined at Manchester City. This prompted his loan move to Everton for the 2025-2026 season, with the club now set to take him back on another season-long loan for 2026-2027.

Playing for Everton seems to reignite his confidence on the pitch. 'I'm at my best when I feel loved. You know I'm quite vulnerable off the pitch and I wanted to go somewhere to just feel the love again, and to just wake up and want to play with a smile on my face again,' Grealish said during his first season with Everton.