Option to buy caveat, wages and contract – Why Everton are confident over Jack Grealish middle ground with Manchester City | OneFootball

Everton are not expected to trigger the £50 million purchase option in their loan agreement with Manchester City for Jack Grealish, as per reports.

The 30-year-old has been on loan at the Hill Dickinson Stadium since last summer and made a blistering start to his time on Merseyside before a stress fracture to his left foot sustained in January brought his season to a premature end.

The injury has not dampened Everton‘s desire to retain the Manchester City forward, with club officials understood to be confident of reaching an agreement with the Blues on a permanent basis this summer.

Grealish joined City from Aston Villa for £100 million in 2021 and has won three Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League and a historic domestic treble since arriving at the Etihad Stadium, though a decline in minutes in recent seasons prompted an acceptance from all parties that his time at the club has run its course.

Pep Guardiola has had no contact with Grealish since his exit last summer, further underlining that the forward has no future under the Catalan.

Report: Fresh negotiations expected as Everton eye alternative to £50M option

As reported by The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland, Everton are not expected to activate the £50 million buy option in their loan deal with Manchester City. Fresh talks between the north-west clubs are due in the coming months – with another loan deal and or a renegotiated fee touted as potential options to keep Grealish in Merseyside next term.

The Toffees are in line to factor in Grealish’s salary – believed to be around £300,000-per-week – to assess the England international’s transfer value. They are currently covering nearly three-quarters of that figure as part of the existing loan arrangement struck with City last summer.

Everton are ‘hopeful’ of having Grealish with them for pre-season and are reportedly ‘confident’ that an agreement can be struck with Manchester City – being aware he has enjoyed his time at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and has liked working with head coach David Moyes.

What is the wider context around Grealish’s future?

The update represents a significant development in what has been an evolving situation at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with previous reporting having suggested Everton were eyeing a deal in the region of £20 million – given Grealish’s contract at the Etihad Stadium will have just 12 months remaining by the time the summer window opens.

From Manchester City’s perspective, the priority will be to get Grealish off their wage bill permanently this summer, with director of football Hugo Viana overseeing a significant summer of change at the Etihad Stadium that is expected to see a wide range of senior departures.

The Blues will be wary of sanctioning a second successive loan that could result in losing the club’s all-time record signing, who turns 31 in September, for nothing in 2027.

Grealish’s injury has all but ended his chances of forcing his way into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the FIFA World Cup this summer, leaving the 30-year-old with a lengthy rehabilitation period ahead and a key decision to make over his future.

With Moyes’ admiration for the player well-documented and Everton confident of retaining his services, a return to the Hill Dickinson Stadium in some capacity next season appears the most likely outcome; the structure of any deal, however, remains to be negotiated.