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Manchester City transfer latest with Jack Grealish close to joining Everton on loan
Manchester City have agreed a loan deal with Everton for Jack Grealish, with a £50million option to turn the move permanent next summer.
It's a move that looks like it could suit all parties with Grealish having fallen out of favour at the Etihad and needing a move to reignite his career in a World Cup year, while Everton and David Moyes have been chasing fresh faces and exciting signings all summer ahead of their move to a new stadium.
Grealish, 30 next month, is expected to complete his move ahead of the opening weekend of the Premier League season where he could make his debut in a Monday night fixture against Leeds United. So what are Everton's plans for a player who was instrumental in City's Treble-winning campaign but has failed to recapture those heights since? We spoke to the Liverpool Echo's Everton correspondent Joe Thomas for the lowdown.
Do you see this as a smart piece of business for Everton?
"Grealish is a player who will instantly lift the quality in the Everton squad and should help to solve the club’s longstanding creative issues - issues that have persisted through pre-season.
"He will also spark excitement in the stands and a buzz in the dressing room, both of which should be welcome after a summer in which Everton’s squad overhaul has been slower than intended.
"Whether he will be a smart piece of business is a tough question to answer before the transfer window ends. While he will add a new dimension to David Moyes’ attack, the potential improvement he brings will be undermined if other areas of the squad are not addressed.
"Everton are lacking in specialist options on the right, in defence and attack. The plan, as it has been all summer, is to address that in the transfer market. If Everton achieve that then Grealish becomes the cherry on top of a promising summer. Unless and until those areas are addressed the squad may be too unbalanced for Grealish’s magic to really provide an advantage."
How will he fit in at Everton on and off the pitch?
"While Grealish’s talent is in no doubt, there have been questions over where he would fit in throughout the links that have persisted all summer. Everton are strong in two areas - centre back and in the attacking left-sided options. Iliman Ndiaye has looked most comfortable on the left. He was Everton’s best attacking player last season and, while he could operate well as a 10 or a support striker, the urge to shunt him to the right has to be avoided.
"Everton’s first summer signing Carlos Alcaraz was excellent in the 10 when he arrived on loan last season but struggled when forced out wide, while the arrival of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall means Everton have serious options in the areas Grealish like to occupy, with Dwight McNeil having also enjoyed success on the left during recent, difficult seasons.
"Fitting those players in will be a challenge but this is a squad that has been bereft of depth for so long. Too often have Everton faded in the closing stages when opponents have brought on quality they could not match from the bench. Grealish’s arrival would give Moyes the chance to refresh and rotate his attack in a way that was unimaginable when he arrived in January."
What has been the reaction of the fan base?
"The reaction of the fanbase has been overwhelmingly positive. There are some concerns over where he will fit in and whether the club is loading up on players in an area of existing strength, but the hope is that Moyes has a plan and that, all of a sudden, a team is being assembled that matches the ambition showcased by the new stadium."
Could Moyes and Grealish be a good fit together?
"The hope is that Grealish and Everton’s interests align. He needs an opportunity to find form and revive his international career ahead of the World Cup, while Everton want a slice of the magic that saw him succeed when he initially joined City. This could be a win-win."
Can you see Everton taking up their £50m option?
"The option seems a bit high for Everton to take seriously, if I am honest. For Everton to move up the table and sustain an assault on the European places then the bulk of their investment must be in younger players who can grow with the club and whose value will rise as the Blues improve. Even if Grealish is exceptional, £50m would be a huge sum for a player who, in 12 months, will be about to turn 31.
"For now, the focus is on this season. If Grealish does well enough to make the club even start to consider making the deal permanent at that price then everyone should be happy."
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