Everton make progress in talks over Grealish loan

Everton are progressing in talks to sign winger Jack Grealish on a season-long loan deal from Manchester City.

The 29-year-old has fallen out of favour at City and was left out of their squad for the final Premier League game of the season at Fulham as well as the Club World Cup in the United States.

Sources have told BBC Sport that an agreement over a deal for Grealish, who reportedly earns £300,000-a-week, external at City, is not yet imminent.

The England playmaker joined City from Aston Villa for what was a British record fee of £100m in August 2021 and has made more than 150 appearances, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup.

But he made only seven league starts last season as City ended the season without winning a major trophy.

He was left on the bench by manager Pep Guardiola during the FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace, with Argentine teenager Claudio Echeverri being given a debut instead.

In June it was understood Grealish wanted a clean break and a permanent new home, but it now seems he may well have to accept a loan move.

He would have preferred to join a team in the Champions League, but no offer has yet been made by the likes of Newcastle United or Tottenham Hotspur.

A move to Everton does not present the opportunity of playing European football but it will give him the chance to rejuvenate his career and take centre stage at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Grealish will also be aiming to win his place back in the England squad after admitting last summer he was "heartbroken" by being left out of the Three Lions squad for the 2024 European Championship.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are in talks with City over a move to sign Brazil winger Savinho.

Noel Sliney, BBC Sport:

It has been a chastening two years for Jack Grealish, since he enjoyed the most successful season of his career.

He had played an integral role in Manchester City's historic Treble in 2022-23, starting the FA Cup final and every one of their seven knockout ties as the club won the Champions League for the first time.

Only six outfield City players spent more time on the pitch than Grealish in the Premier League too.

A hamstring injury halted his momentum early in 2023-24, which the England playmaker ended with more yellow cards (seven) than combined goals and assists (six) across all competitions.

He featured in just 40% of the total minutes played by City despite being in the squad for 82% of them.

His involvement dropped to 30% last term as Grealish's career plummeted to its nadir. Three of his six starts after Christmas came against lower-league opposition in the FA Cup, while 16 starts in total is his fewest in a campaign since he was 20 years old.

Unsurprisingly, it has also been his least productive season in terms of chances created and dribbling success since returning to the Premier League in 2019.

City's team structure has seldom afforded Grealish the license to take on and glide past opponents as he did with such insouciance as the talismanic captain at boyhood club Aston Villa.

The question now is whether the affable 29-year-old can reverse the downward trajectory of his career - and who will give him the opportunity to do so.