Gary Neville makes Jack Grealish U-turn ahead of Man City to Everton move | OneFootball

Gary Neville has raised concerns about Jack Grealish’s impending move to Everton, despite the winger loving his time with David Moyes’ team.

Grealish famously swapped Aston Villa for Manchester City in 2021 in a deal worth up to £100millon but the England international never really lived up to that gigantic price tag.

The flair, risk-taking and creativity he displayed at Villa Park was, arguably, coached out of him by Pep Guardiola in favour of being another cog in a well-oiled machine.

A return of 17 goals and 23 assists in 159 games does not make for great reading, particularly with his sizeable fee, and as a result, he was shipped out on loan to Everton last season.

The 30-year-old was reinvigorated with the Toffees as he scored two goals and notched six assists in 22 games. However, his season was cut short prematurely by a foot injury mid-way through the campaign.

And despite spending just a few months with the Merseyside outfit, it was clear that Grealish had a great deal of affection for the club.

Back in February, he wrote on Instagram, “Didn’t want the season to end like this but that’s football, gutted. Surgery done and now all focus on getting back fit. I know for sure I will come back fitter, stronger and better than before.

“The support I’ve had since coming to this unbelievable club has meant the world to me. The staff, my teammates and especially the fans have been incredible and I absolutely love representing this club.

“I’ll be backing the lads all the way and doing everything I can to get back as soon as possible. Thank you again for all the love, it means so much. UTFT (Up the f****** Toffees).”

Rewind to last August, and Manchester United legend Neville saw the Everton move as a way to reignite his career. He even went as far as saying the former Villa star was a “million miles” better than what the Toffees had in their squad.

“Your career is a short one in professional football. For someone like him, the skill, the excitement he brings to football fans, you need to see him on the pitch,” he said on Sky Sports.

“He’s probably got five or six years left where he needs to play football and influence games every single week. He will be a big signing for Everton. He’s a level in quality above anything that they’ve got by a million miles.”

However, as Grealish inches closer to another Everton loan on deadline day (1 September) and Neville has done an apparent U-turn on the winger.

A year ago, the former England right-back essentially said he needs to be playing every week. But if he stays at Man City under Enzo Maresca, he won’t get that.

Jack Grealish warned against Man City exit

Nevertheless, Neville thinks an Etihad stay would be good for him, especially as all is not entirely well at Everton.

He said on his podcast this weekend, “If the club’s not right that you’re going to go to, definitely do not go.

“You’re better off staying at Manchester City and playing 20 games and still looking like you’re playing in a great side. I would always go for the second bit. He’s better off staying at Manchester City. I strongly believe that.”

Everton have spent around £85m on signings this summer and that could rise to near £150m if they bring in Fulham’s Kenny Tete and Monaco’s Folarin Balogun.

There has been a lot of unrest over Everton entertaining a sale for academy product Harrison Armstrong, which was then called off, and now Iliman Ndiaye’s mooted move to Man City. But regular game time is what Grealish needs and he won’t get that with Maresca’s team.