Jack Grealish to Everton: Could loan star help ignite Toffees' Premier League push for European places?

Everton have been busy in the summer transfer window, and the Toffees look to have added another signing to their squad as they have reportedly come to an agreement with Manchester City for the season-long loan of Jack Grealish, with the deal including an option to buy of £50m next summer.

The 29-year-old is reportedly highly admired by Everton boss David Moyes, while the player was keen to join the club as he aims to gain consistent minutes - having fallen out of favour at Man City - in a bid to get back in the England squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Grealish would mark Everton's sixth signing in what has been an encouraging summer so far, and with the Toffees also supposedly interested in Tyler Dibling, Abdul Fatawu and Malick Fofana, optimism is building among the fanbase ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season.

With Moyes previously stating that pushing for Europe this season "has to be the challenge", the Toffees will be hope that the arrival of the experienced and high-quality Grealish - with further reinforcements potentially set to follow - could help ignite their Premier League push for the European places.

What does Grealish provide?

Grealish may have fallen out of favour at Man City over the past two seasons, starting just 17 Premier League games and playing only 1757 minutes combined in 2023-24 and 2024-25, compared to 23 starts and 2063 minutes in 2022-23, but there is no doubt about the attacking midfielder's quality.

Even during a difficult 2024-25 campaign, Grealish ranked within the top five percent of all Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers per 90 minutes for progressive carries (8.61), progressive passes (6.49), passing accuracy (87.6%), key passes (3.00) and shot-creating actions (5.87) - according to FBref.

That just highlights the immense creative abilities that Grealish has, which were the reason Man City paid £100m for him in 2021, and these qualities could be vital for an Everton side that have struggled for goals in recent seasons and are crying out for a pass-first attacker.

Everton have ranked among the bottom four teams for goals scored in each of the last three Premier League seasons, and with players such as Thierno Barry, Beto, Iliman Ndiaye and Carlos Alcaraz being shot-first attackers, while Dwight McNeil excels at delivering crosses, Grealish's ability to thread delicate through passes is a much-needed quality for the team.

Additionally, Grealish has consistently been one of the most fouled players in the division throughout his career for both Aston Villa and Man City, and as Everton boast an extremely physical team including James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, the Toffees could capitalise on these set-pieces.

Where could Grealish play for Everton?

Grealish has most often operated from the left wing for Aston Villa and Man City, with he is able to cut inside into more central areas to either take a shot on goal, draw fouls that lead to dangerous free-kicks or create chances for his teammates.

However, with fan-favourite Ndiaye expected to be Everton's starting left winger in 2025-26,Grealish could be moved into a more central position, likely to operate just behind either Beto or Barry as the main attacking midfielder in Moyes's 4-2-3-1 system.

With the ability to find pockets of space and drive towards the opposition penalty area thanks to his exquisite close control, technical skill, and eye for a threatening pass, this role could be perfect for Grealish to rediscover his best form for Everton.

The versatility to play from either the left or through the middle could also be key for Moyes, allowing the manager to switch to a two-striker formation and move Grealish to the wing or allow him to rotate with the likes of Ndiaye and Alcaraz throughout the duration of a match.

Summer signings & European sights

The acquisition of Grealish is only one part of Everton's summer recruitment drive, with the club having already confirmed the additions of Adam Aznou from Bayern Munich, Alcaraz from Flamengo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea and Barry from Villarreal, while Dibling, Fatawu and Fofana are all also being linked.

These signings significantly strengthen Everton heading into the 2025-26 campaign, addressing some key areas of weakness as the club aims to re-establish itself as a regular contender in the Premier League's top half and push for European qualification.

With the likes of Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford all losing starting players during the summer transfer window, if Grealish and Everton's other signings can deliver the quality expected of them, then Moyes's men could be on course for a European charge this season.