1 week ago
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Manchester City have had to be patient for interest in Jack Grealish to formalise, but Everton have reason to move quickly
Manchester City lost most of their leverage in the transfer market with Jack Grealish over their decisions regarding him in the final weeks of the season.
Pep Guardiola leaving him on the bench for the FA Cup final and then out of the squad completely for the final Premier League game and Club World Cup told the world that he wasn't part of the first-team plans.
That sent a message to anybody who was interested in Grealish for this coming season that City didn't want him, and in that scenario the selling club usually has to be happy with what they get.
Buyers - or loaners - can sit back and wait until the final weeks of the window knowing that unless somebody else comes in the Blues will offer more and more favourable terms for an exit than they would if there was the pretence that Guardiola wanted him.
It was not a surprise then, when City players returned to training in Manchester a month after being knocked out of the Club World Cup and Grealish was back in with them. Nobody is in any rush to start a bidding war when the longer they leave it the better deal they could get.
Everton, however, may buck the trend. The Merseysiders have approached City over a season-long loan for the 29-year-old as he looks to play his way back into the England squad under Thomas Tuchel in time for the World Cup next summer.
City would prefer a permanent deal and whether the financials of the loan could be agreed are another matter, but at least with Everton there are upsides for the Blues. It would see Grealish stay close by in a competitive league, and more importantly he would be expected to be the star - something he obviously was at Aston Villa but then has struggled with at the Etihad.
Everton could do with a few marquee signings as they head into their brand new home after saying goodbye to Goodison Park, and David Moyes is already publicly calling for more activity in the transfer market. While most clubs can happily watch on as Grealish trains at City, there is impatience at Everton and an urging from Moyes for some deals to be done.
That has to work in City's favour as both sides explore whether a deal is possible. Everybody knows where the Blues stand, but there is at least reason for Everton to want to act quickly.
Having had to be patient in the window for interest in Grealish to formalise, Everton's approach will encourage City.
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