Jack Grealish has said he is “nearly there” after a foot injury that has kept him out since a stress fracture came to light in the days after the Aston Villa match in January. Everton are open to a loan return, but any move depends on how well he has recovered. Manchester City also still need to decide what to do with a 30-year-old in the final year of his contract.
Grealish's recovery update
“Nice to see everyone, am nearly there! Hopefully not long now till back training for good,” Grealish wrote. It is a straightforward update, but it is the kind that changes the mood around a player who had become a live transfer question as soon as the injury situation settled.
There is enough evidence now to treat the Everton link as more than background noise. Gabby Agbonlahor said, “But don't rule out maybe going back to Everton, David Moyes loved him.” He also said: “I don't see him staying there, I see him moving on. It wouldn't surprise me if he moves somewhere else in Europe, I don't see him staying in the Premier League.”
That is the real split in the story. Everton remain interested, but the wider market is still open, and City have not made their call yet.
Everton and City still have decisions to make
The football case for Everton is easy to see. Grealish produced two late, match-winning goals in the first half of the season and added six assists, so this is not a punt on reputation alone. His return of 17 goals and 23 assists for City across 157 appearances also explains why another club would keep watching if the door opens.
Everton's side is less settled. Right-back remains the transfer priority, with Seamus Coleman gone and Nathan Patterson likely to leave, and the club have already looked at Raoul Bellanova, Guela Doue and Djed Spence. They have also considered Parma midfielder Mandela Keita and may add another midfielder depending on Idrissa Gueye’s situation. Even so, the Grealish situation sits high on the list because Everton are open to a loan and because his recovery is moving into the stage where a deal becomes plausible rather than theoretical.
The next step is City’s. Grealish is back around the training set-up, Everton are still tracking the situation, and the contract-year decision in Manchester is the part that will shape whether this becomes a return to Merseyside, another European move or something else entirely.
FAQ
Could Jack Grealish still return to Everton this summer?
Everton are open to a loan return, but any move depends on how well Jack Grealish has recovered from the foot injury. He has also said he is 'nearly there' and hoped it would not be long before he was back training for good.
Why is Jack Grealish being linked with Everton again?
The link is being driven by two things: Grealish's recovery is moving on, and Everton are still interested if a return becomes possible. Gabby Agbonlahor also said it would not surprise him if Grealish moved on, though he added that Everton cannot be ruled out.
What do Manchester City need to decide on Jack Grealish?
Manchester City have Grealish in the final year of his contract, so they need to weigh a sale, another loan or keeping him. He has made 157 appearances for the club and returned 17 goals and 23 assists.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
