Jack Grealish has played his last game for Manchester City, with the 31-year-old’s move to Everton on Deadline Day now expected to be a permanent farewell to the Etihad Stadium, according to a report from Football Insider.
The winger, who joined City from Aston Villa in a club-record £100m deal in 2021, will see out the final year of his contract on loan at Goodison Park. The report states he is not part of head coach Enzo Maresca’s plans beyond the expiry of that deal in June 2027.
Grealish had been included in Maresca’s squad for the opening weeks of the new campaign, making a brief substitute appearance before completing his second loan switch to Everton last week.
That cameo, a 14-minute outing away at Bournemouth on the opening day, which coincided with City fighting back from a goal down to win, now stands as his final act in sky blue.
Grealish uncertain over City return as pundit says exit is final
Asked earlier this week whether he believes he will ever pull on a City shirt again, Grealish struck a philosophical tone, telling reporters:
“I don’t know, honestly. I’ll just have to wait and see what happens. I just want to be enjoying myself, and that’s the main thing at the moment.”
That uncertainty, however, is not shared by those close to the situation. Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke reported on the outlet’s Transfer Insider podcast that Grealish will not be handed a new contract at the Etihad, effectively ending his time at the club regardless of how his loan spell unfolds on Merseyside.
Discussing the move on the podcast, O’Rourke said: “Grealish really enjoyed his first loan spell at Everton until it was cut short by injury, and obviously he’s returned to the Toffees on loan for another season.
“He’ll be keen to get as many minutes under his belt as possible after that frustrating injury last season.
“Look, his time at City is finished. His contract expires in the summer, and I think City are planning for life without Grealish, as they have done, probably, for the last 18 months or so.”
City’s hierarchy had already begun preparing for a future without the England international well before this summer’s transfer window, even as Grealish remained on the books under Maresca.
Grealish’s first loan spell at Everton, prior to this latest switch, was disrupted by injury problems, and he will be determined to stay fit and rack up minutes this time around in order to rebuild his market value ahead of becoming a free agent next summer.
He has already made his second Everton debut, featuring against Manchester United, and is expected to be involved when David Moyes’ side host Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
His return to Goodison Park comes at a turbulent time for the Toffees. Moyes was said to be frustrated by Everton’s lack of business elsewhere in the transfer window, and the club were left short-handed up front after Folarin Balogun’s exit at the eleventh hour.
