Jack Grealish to Everton rumors keep popping up, with names such as Fabrizio Romano indicating that at least those conversations are happening within the club. In contrast, others go so far as to suggest that the Toffees are planning a move.
One thing is for sure: Manchester City are not going to get anywhere near the £100 million they paid for him in 2021, as it is unlikely that anyone will want to take the player on for two more season, particularly at his reported wages.
But that doesn't mean that City won't do what they can to save some of the money they're spending on him, even if that means covering a decent chunk of his wages to go play for another club. With a large contingency of players coming off the books this summer, it's possible that Everton could afford to take Grealish in on loan.
The bigger issue is whether it makes sense for Everton from a footballing perspective. A few weeks back, we noted that the deal could be an interesting one for the Toffees, provided they didn't stretch themselves too thin financially.
The second part of that point still remains, especially considering how many players Everton still need to sign, meaning they would have to be strategic if they want to bring Grealish in.
But left wing, Grealish's preferred position, is not an area where Everton need a lot of help, with Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil already there. Which isn't to say that Grealish couldn't supplant either of those players, but is that what Everton want?
Ndiaye, in particular, is a top talent who is still relatively young (25) and whose contract has him on Merseyside until 2029. Would bringing in Grealish for one season and forcing a player you hope to be part of your long term future be valuable to either the club or the player?
It's possible you could slide Ndiaye centrally, but what would that mean for Charly Alcaraz, who is also better in the middle of the park? It is a lot of moving parts for a single player who you would only be able to guarantee to be part of the club for a single season.
All this to say, I might be reconsidering my earlier position on the potential addition of Jack Grealish at Everton. The fit doesn't appear to be there and it makes more sense for David Moyes, Angus Kinnear, and their transfer committee to find someone to compliment Ndiaye and Alcaraz, not to supplant them or create roster problems for a loan.