Everton Football Club’s bold bid to secure Manchester City’s Jack Grealish on a season-long loan has hit a significant obstacle, threatening to derail what could be a transformative signing for the Toffees as they prepare for the 2025-26 Premier League season. The Merseyside outfit, under the guidance of manager David Moyes and bolstered by the financial backing of the Friedkin Group, has made the 29-year-old England international their top transfer target. However, negotiations have stumbled over a “big sticking point”—Grealish’s staggering £300,000-a-week wages, a figure that far exceeds Everton’s current wage structure. “Everything that you would look at there sensibly suggests that they would want City to cover a proportion of that,” noted football finance expert Dan Plumley, highlighting the financial complexities at the heart of the deal.
Grealish, whose time at Manchester City has been marked by both brilliance and frustration, is at a crossroads. After joining the Etihad for a then-British record £100 million in 2021, he played a pivotal role in City’s 2022-23 treble-winning campaign, starting every Champions League knockout match. Yet, his 2024-25 season was marred by limited game time, with just one Premier League start and an exclusion from the Club World Cup squad under Pep Guardiola. “It’s very, very obvious from all of what happened last season that he is not part of Man City’s plans,” observed Sky Sports News reporter Rob Dorsett, underscoring Grealish’s need for a fresh start. Everton’s approach, initiated in early August 2025, aims to offer him that opportunity, with Moyes envisioning the versatile playmaker as a No. 10 or left-winger to ignite the team’s attack at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Toffees’ pursuit is not without competition. Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, and Napoli have all been linked with the former Aston Villa star, who rejected an offer from Fenerbahce earlier this summer. Everton, however, have taken the lead, with talks focusing on a loan deal that could include a £10 million fee and the club covering roughly £250,000 of Grealish’s weekly wages, leaving a £50,000 shortfall for City to address. “I think there’s a good chance that this one gets done now,” said former Everton CEO Keith Wyness, suggesting that a formula involving a higher loan fee could ease the wage burden. Grealish’s openness to the move, driven by his desire to secure regular football and force his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup, has fueled optimism among Everton fans.
Moyes, a long-time admirer of Grealish, believes he could be the catalyst for a squad that struggled offensively last season, finishing mid-table after a challenging start. “He’s probably the best player in the Premier League at this time,” Moyes declared in 2021, a sentiment that still drives his pursuit. The addition of Grealish would complement recent signings like Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carlos Alcaraz, addressing the void left by Jack Harrison’s loan departure and Jesper Lindstrom’s underwhelming stint. However, the financial hurdle remains daunting. “Given everything we’ve seen from this group so far, and the backstory with Everton, I’d find it highly unlikely that they would want to cover all of his wages,” Plumley added, emphasizing the need for City to subsidize the deal.
As the transfer window deadline looms on September 1, 2025, Everton’s negotiations are at a critical juncture. The club’s new owners, the Friedkin Group, see Grealish as a marquee signing to mark their move to a state-of-the-art stadium, but the wage dispute could delay or derail the deal. Fans are buzzing with anticipation, with one social media post exclaiming, “Grealish in blue could change everything!” Yet, with time ticking and rival clubs circling, Everton must navigate this financial tightrope to land their man. If successful, Grealish’s flair could herald a new era for the Toffees, but for now, the “big sticking point” of his wages keeps this blockbuster move in limbo.
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