3 days ago
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Jack Grealish is on the brink of a move to Everton.
The attacking midfielder is set for a medical as discussions between the Toffees and Manchester City progress toward a deal. If the final stages of the transfer are successfully navigated, the 29-year-old will make the switch to Merseyside on a season-long loan.
The England international would be David Moyes' sixth signing of the summer, providing a much-needed boost to his efforts to inject creativity into a squad that has been goal-shy in recent Premier League campaigns and throughout preseason. Grealish's departure from the Etihad has been on the cards all summer after he fell out of favor with manager Pep Guardiola.
The former Aston Villa ace was omitted from the squad that jetted off to the United States for the Club World Cup and hasn't featured in the club's pre-season plans.
He was also absent from the trip to Italy, where City took on sister club Palermo this weekend.
Everton has been linked with Grealish throughout the summer, but City's preference was for a permanent deal.
However, such interest hasn't materialized, leaving the club open to negotiations.
As uncertainty over Grealish's future grew, Everton's squad overhaul for its inaugural season at Hill Dickinson Stadium has been slower than Moyes had hoped.
The Everton manager has been visibly frustrated of late, emphasizing the club's efforts to recruit new talent but acknowledging the difficulty in attracting high-calibre players due to the lack of European soccer on offer at Goodison Park.
Everton concluded its preseason with a home loss to Roma, rounding off a summer campaign that saw four defeats, one draw, and a solitary victory - a behind-closed-doors match against League One side Port Vale.
Saturday's defeat served as yet another reminder of Everton's ongoing struggles in the final third.
Addressing these issues has become a priority for Moyes, with hopes that Grealish could be the solution while also sparking further recruitment efforts.
Everton is in dire need of right-wing options, and there are also plans to bolster the central midfield and right-back positions.
So far, Everton has added forward Thierno Barry, defender Adam Aznou, goalkeeper Mark Travers, and midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to their ranks, while also making Carlos Alcaraz's loan deal permanent.
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