Everton target major Man City star in ambitious loan swoop | OneFootball

Report: Everton eye bold Grealish move but face stiff Premier League competition

Grealish conundrum adds complexity to Everton’s ambitions

What Everton wants, and what they can realistically have, often exist in different realms. The club’s renewed interest in a loan deal for Jack Grealish is either a stirring declaration of intent from the Friedkin Group or another case of romantic thinking in a reality governed by financial restrictions and competitive firepower.

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“Everton are ready to hold talks with City over a loan deal,” according to TeamTalk. The intention is clear. The means? Less so. With Grealish on £300,000 per week, the arithmetic of ambition starts to falter. “Only a loan is possible,” the report states, and “City would have to agree to pay a large portion” of those wages.

Grealish, 29 and at a crossroads, was left out of City’s FIFA Club World Cup squad and is currently on the outside looking in for England. He knows that consistent minutes are essential if he is to feature in the 2026 World Cup. Everton, as a potential platform, are both improbable saviour and logistical nightmare.

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Premier League rivals queue up

This, of course, is not a one-horse race. Newcastle United are monitoring the situation, viewing Grealish as a potential asset for both their Premier League and Champions League ambitions. But for all the glamour and European allure, there are caveats. Anthony Gordon occupies the left flank, and Grealish, for all his charm, would not be guaranteed a starting role.

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Aston Villa, Grealish’s spiritual home, are in the conversation too. Emery’s side are evolving, and the addition of flair and creativity fits his vision. TeamTalk reports that “Villa boss Unai Emery is a big admirer of Grealish,” and sees him as an ideal replacement should Marcus Rashford’s situation not be resolved. Again, though, competition looms in the form of Morgan Rogers.

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Napoli, operating outside the Premier League’s economic bubble, are also reportedly interested, although they favour Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho. Grealish, then, sits at the centre of a tug-of-war shaped by ambition, memory, money and merit.

Friedkin’s ambition tested early

This potential move would be the first major test of the Friedkin Group’s credibility. For all the grand pronouncements that typically accompany a new ownership group, it is moves like this that signal whether the club means business or is merely posturing. A loan for Grealish, financially cushioned by City and competitively rewarding for Everton, would tick multiple boxes.

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But as TeamTalk notes, “City will demand a sizeable loan fee,” and this might be where Everton’s chase falters. They are not just competing against better squads but bigger chequebooks. If the club is serious, the negotiation table must become a battlefield.

Short-term fix or long-term plan?

Grealish remains a luxury option for a club still juggling foundational concerns. Everton’s actual transfer priorities lie elsewhere, with a right-winger and striker reportedly higher on Moyes’ list. But the allure of Grealish, the optics of it, might prove irresistible.

“[Moyes] doesn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to sign Grealish,” reports TeamTalk. It is a gamble on stardust in a squad that’s been starving for structure.

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If you are a realist Everton supporter, this Grealish saga lands somewhere between exciting and implausible. On one hand, the idea of a player of his pedigree gracing Everton’s new stadium is thrilling. It signals that the Friedkin Group might mean business. But on the other hand, it is difficult to ignore the logistical landmines. Can Everton really afford a player on £300,000 a week, even with Manchester City subsidising the deal?

And even if they could, is this the kind of deal the club needs? It’s hard not to feel like Everton are trying to buy a bit of sparkle when what they really need is substance. A right-winger, a striker, a reliable midfield presence—those are the priority areas. Grealish, for all his skill and swagger, is a luxury at a time when Everton are still stabilising.

There’s also the danger of distraction. If this is about optics, it might work temporarily. But for fans who have ridden out years of mismanagement, what they want now is competence, not another headline.