Everton eye cut-price deal with Manchester City to sign star forward in 2026 transfer | OneFootball

Manchester City could be subject to further transfer talks with officials at Everton over the future of Jack Grealish, this time concerning a permanent deal in 2026.

The 30-year-old has been one of the early success stories of the Premier League season, hitting the ground running on Merseyside after completing a somewhat surprising season-long loan switch.

Grealish has already collected the Premier League’s opening Player of the Month award of the season after registering four assists in just two starts in August, making himself a central figure in David Moyes’ new-look Everton side.

His resurgence has been met with excitement, with Everton supporters embracing the arrival of a player who had struggled to consistently showcase his best form during his Manchester City career over the last two seasons in particular.

While Pep Guardiola opted to phase him out this summer amid changes to the attacking and midfield unit, David Moyes has given him both freedom and responsibility in a fluid role, and the results so far have been emphatic.

City’s decision to loan Grealish was partly motivated by balancing books following investment in the likes of Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders, but also by the desire to give the winger regular minutes after an injury-hit 2024/25 campaign. Now, his performances are beginning to stir transfer speculation around what happens when his loan spell reaches its conclusion.

According to the information of MailSport’s Dominic King, Everton are now hoping that Jack Grealish will be able to join the club on a permanent arrangement in 2026, but on a cut-price deal at the end of his ongoing loan spell.

It is claimed that turning Grealish’s temporary stay permanent is a priority for Hill Dickinson Stadium officials, and they are also hopeful they will be able to do so for ‘cheaper’ than the £50 million option to buy arrangement included in the loan deal.

The report explains that the aforementioned figure is not fixed and Everton are hopeful that they will be able to ‘twist Manchester City’s hand’, in part due to the fact that Jack Grealish will only have 12 months left on his Etihad Stadium contract next summer.

For City, the decision may come down to how Pep Guardiola and Hugo Viana view the balance of the squad heading into the 2026/27 season. With Grealish in the final year of his deal, City risk losing him for nothing if they are unwilling to sanction a discounted sale.

Everton’s stance will also depend on Grealish’s ability to sustain his current form across the campaign. If the England international continues to produce at the level seen in August, it would be difficult for Moyes and Everton officials to justify not pushing for a permanent move.

On the flip side, Manchester City may yet face the question of whether Jack Grealish could still offer depth and experience in their own squad, particularly if injury problems re-emerge elsewhere.