In a move that has sent ripples of excitement through Merseyside, Jack Grealish is poised to join Everton on a season-long loan from Manchester City, with the club set to hand him the storied No. 18 shirt—a number immortalized by England legends Paul Gascoigne and Wayne Rooney during their time at Goodison Park. The 29-year-old midfielder, whose flair and charisma have long drawn comparisons to his footballing idols, is ready to embrace the challenge of reviving his career while paying homage to two of the Three Lions’ greatest stars. “If you look back and think of Gazza at Italia 90, that is where he first made a… well he was obviously still well known before, but I think everyone remembers him for that tournament especially,” Grealish said, reflecting on his admiration for Gascoigne. He added, “You look at Wayne Rooney in Euro 2004 – I think that was where he set his marker to say I am going to be one of the best in the world.”
Grealish’s transfer, finalized after a medical on August 11, 2025, includes a £50 million option to buy, signaling Everton’s ambition under manager David Moyes, who returned to the club last season. The No. 18 shirt, recently vacated by Ashley Young, carries a weight of history. Rooney donned it as a 16-year-old prodigy, bursting onto the global stage with a stunning goal against Arsenal in 2002, while Gascoigne wore it during his two-year stint at Everton from 2000 to 2002, a period when he sought to recapture his World Cup magic. Grealish, who wore the No. 18 for the Republic of Ireland’s under-21 team in 2013/14, sees the number as a chance to emulate his heroes. “I would love to be compared to Gazza. He is an absolute icon. Him, along with Rooney, were probably the greatest England players over the last 20, 30 years,” he said ahead of Euro 2020, a sentiment that underscores his choice.
The move comes at a critical juncture for Grealish, who has struggled for consistent playing time at Manchester City since his £100 million transfer from Aston Villa in 2021. Under Pep Guardiola, he started just one Premier League match in 2025 and was an unused substitute in City’s FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace. “I understand all the frustrations of all my players,” Guardiola said last May, acknowledging Grealish’s limited role. The loan to Everton offers a fresh start, with Moyes expected to grant Grealish the freedom to express his maverick style, much like Gascoigne did in his prime. “He’s got great character and he’s like me,” Gascoigne himself noted, praising Grealish’s flair and urging him to seek a move where he could shine. “Just let him do what he wants.”
Everton, who have battled near the bottom of the Premier League table in recent seasons, view Grealish as a transformative addition. His versatility to play centrally or on the flanks will bolster Moyes’s attacking options, complementing recent signings like Thierno Barry, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Carlos Alcaraz. The club’s financial commitment—covering up to half of Grealish’s £300,000-per-week wages—reflects their belief in his potential to elevate the squad. “It could be brilliant for them, and you could look at this as the season goes on and say that even covering half of his wages is worth the gamble,” a football finance expert remarked, highlighting the high-stakes nature of the deal.
For Grealish, the move is also a chance to reignite his England career ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Thomas Tuchel, the England manager, has expressed admiration for the midfielder, whose exclusion from the Euro 2024 squad echoed Gascoigne’s controversial omission in 1998. Wearing the No. 18 at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, Grealish aims to recapture the form that made him a fan favorite at Villa, where his dribbling and vision earned him a British record transfer. As he prepares for a potential debut in the coming weeks, the Everton faithful are buzzing with anticipation, eager to see their new star channel the spirit of Gascoigne and Rooney. With the Toffees’ new stadium on the horizon, Grealish’s arrival marks a bold step toward a brighter future, one where he hopes to etch his own legacy in royal blue.
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