Jack Grealish wants to return to Everton if he leaves Man City this summer, with Aston Villa and Sunderland also considering moves for the England international before the transfer deadline.
The 30-year-old spent last season on loan at Everton and is now entering the final year of his Man City contract.
Sky Sports reports that a permanent transfer, another loan or an agreement that would see Grealish remain at Man City until his contract expires are all possible outcomes.
Grealish has featured from the bench in both of Man City’s matches under Enzo Maresca, but the manager has acknowledged that his future could be decided in the coming days.
Everton remain Grealish’s preferred destination
Grealish enjoyed a productive spell at Everton last season before an injury brought his campaign to an early conclusion, and the Toffees remain interested in bringing him back to Merseyside.
The latest reporting indicates that Everton are Grealish’s preferred destination should he leave Man City.
That would give David Moyes an opportunity to add a player already familiar with his system and the demands of Premier League football.
Moyes has been vocal about his desire for further reinforcements, particularly with Everton still looking to improve the depth and quality of their squad.
“I think we definitely need to continue to make additions, that’s for sure,” Moyes said.
“We thought the squad was quite thin last year, and at the moment, if you take the way the numbers work, we are still one down from where we were even last year.”
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Aston Villa and Sunderland also interested
A return to Aston Villa remains another possibility for Grealish, although a loan move appears difficult because Villa have already used their available domestic loan slots.
Villa are also prioritising other attacking deals, including moves for Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, which could make Grealish less likely to return to his boyhood club.
Sunderland have emerged as another contender, with Sky Sports reporting that they are exploring both a loan and permanent deal as they seek additional width.
Maresca accepts Grealish’s future is uncertain
Maresca has not ruled out Grealish leaving before the September 1 deadline.
“Jack is here until the day he is here, it’s my duty to try and help him and give us the best,” Maresca said.
“Then we’ll see in the next four or five days what happens.”
With Grealish’s contract entering its final year and multiple clubs interested, a resolution is increasingly likely before the transfer window closes.
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