Jack Grealish’s foot injury leaves Everton with a transfer conundrum | OneFootball

When Jack Grealish joined Everton on loan for the 2025-26 season, hopes were high that he could rediscover the form that persuaded Manchester City to pay big money for him.

He made an immediate impact for the Toffees, weighing in with four assists to earn the Premier League Player of the Month award for August.

However, you would be hard pushed to argue that Grealish has justified his lofty salary, given that he has bagged only two goals and two assists since then.

Grealish has now been ruled out of action after sustaining a foot injury, which could keep him on the sidelines for the rest of the season.

With that in mind, read on as we assess whether he has successfully managed to revive his career after falling out of favour at City and what the future holds for him.

Grealish could still have a future at Everton

Grealish says he has rediscovered his love for football since joining Everton on loan. The criticism he received during his time at Man City was harsh, but it’s no secret that he has enjoyed his time at Everton, and has repeatedly praised manager David Moyes for the role he has played in his revival.

He was effusive about Moyes after scoring the winning goal at Bournemouth last month, and clearly enjoys playing for the Toffees.

“It is a brilliant team and I love the manager to pieces,” Grealish said. “I have only known him a few months and I can’t speak highly enough of him as a person. How he makes me feel, how he makes me want to play for him — credit to him. We are doing well.

“I am so lucky that I have had such great clubs and great fanbases, this is another one of them. They have been so good to me today. They were singing my name before the goal, I feel like they wanted a bit more from me and I gave it to them!”

While Grealish is understandably eager to keep Moyes and the fanbase onside, his tally of two goals and six assists in 22 appearances is a little underwhelming.

Having said that, the 30-year-old has given the Toffees something different in the attacking third, which is not always prevalent in Moyes’s teams.

The club reportedly have a £50M buy-option, but that is undoubtedly steep given what he has produced for the club up to this point despite early highlights.

He has not been helped by the profligacy of strikers Beto and Thierno Barry, who have scored just seven goals between them this season.

There is an underlying feeling that Grealish would be more productive if he had better players around him, but paying £50M and lofty wages to find out is extremely risky.

If Everton can negotiate a more realistic fee and persuade Grealish to lower his salary demands, it would be worth taking the punt on a permanent deal.

However, if those elements do not fall into place, Everton may well have to thank Grealish for his services and move on to other targets.

MLS is an ideal landing spot for Grealish

Grealish is unlikely to be short of lucrative offers this summer if a permanent move to Everton does not come to fruition.

Given that he turns 31 in September, his options in the Premier League will probably be limited. However, it would be a different story overseas.

The slower pace of Serie A would suit Grealish down to the ground, and it would be no surprise if AC Milan, Napoli and other clubs tried to sign him.

Several Saudi Pro League (SPL) clubs would love to sign the former Aston Villa star, and they have the financial muscle to tempt him to the Middle East.

Despite this, Grealish may feel that he still has more to offer at a higher level rather than plying his trade in a footballing backwater.

On that basis, a move to Major League Soccer (MLS) leaps off the page as the most viable option for Grealish next summer.

MLS will undoubtedly garner benefits from the 2026 World Cup being staged in North America, most notably in terms of increased interest in football.

That factor makes this summer the ideal time to target high-profile players who can add something different to the league.

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has reportedly been linked with a move to MLS, and he would be a shrewd acquisition for whichever club he joined.

While Grealish does not have the same gravitas as the Polish international striker, he is still an alluring proposition for any MLS club willing to take the plunge.

All things considered, a move to MLS for Grealish at the end of the season makes perfect sense.