Jack Grealish, the charismatic midfielder who swapped Manchester City’s bench for Everton’s spotlight, has quickly become the talk of the Premier League. Just weeks after sealing a season-long loan move to the Toffees, the 29-year-old marked his electrifying start with a seven-hour pub crawl in Stockholm, Sweden, during the international break. The unexpected escapade at The Auld Dub, an Irish pub in the heart of the Swedish capital, left fans stunned and social media buzzing, as Grealish celebrated a blistering beginning to his Merseyside chapter. “He was here to visit,” said Mattias Mete, a former footballer turned bar worker, who was taken aback by the star’s arrival. “It was a bit shocking to see him come in. You saw him play on Saturday, and then all of a sudden he appeared here out of nowhere.”
Grealish’s move to Everton, finalized in August 2025, came after a frustrating spell at Manchester City, where he struggled for consistent minutes under Pep Guardiola. The £100 million man, who joined City from Aston Villa in 2021, found himself sidelined, starting just seven league games in the 2024-25 season. His loan to Everton, with the club covering £225,000 of his £300,000 weekly salary and an option to buy for £50 million, offered a chance to rediscover his spark. And rediscover it he has. In just two matches, Grealish has notched four assists, including two in a 2-0 win over Brighton and two more in a thrilling 3-2 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers. “He’s even better than I thought,” Everton manager David Moyes raved, praising Grealish’s impact. “He probably needs a bit of love and attention. He needs the games as well. Hopefully, he starts building on it and gets even better as the season goes on.”
The Stockholm jaunt came after Grealish was omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, a snub that stung despite his early-season heroics. Seizing the international break, Grealish jetted to Sweden with friends, settling into The Auld Dub to watch Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal. “They were here for quite a long time. They were here until closing time,” Mete noted, describing how Grealish and his entourage enjoyed a relaxed evening, complete with food and drinks, while keeping a low profile. The pub, located near Hötorget, holds special significance for Grealish, whose grandparents are of Irish descent, tying into his early days representing Ireland’s youth teams before switching to England in 2016.
Fans have embraced Grealish’s resurgence, with Everton supporters chanting “Super Jack” after his match-winning performance at Wolves. His social media post, captioned “Feels so good to finally play three games in a row,” was seen by some as a subtle jab at Guardiola’s rotation policy, though Grealish later deleted it. “For me, I wanted to come here and the main thing was to enjoy football,” he told beIN Sports, reflecting on his move. The move has clearly reignited his passion, with teammate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall noting, “Everyone knows Jack’s at his best when he’s got a smile on his face, playing confidently.” Grealish’s work rate off the ball—13 of 17 ground duels won and eight recoveries against Wolves—has silenced critics who once questioned his commitment.
As Everton prepare to face Aston Villa, Grealish’s boyhood club, on September 13, the emotional stakes are high. His ability to “unlock defenses” and bring “something just on the edge” of creativity, as Moyes described, could prove pivotal. Off the pitch, Grealish’s Stockholm adventure has only endeared him further to fans, who see his pub marathon as a sign of a player relishing his return to form. “Thanks Everton, for trusting him and giving him the opportunity he truly deserves,” one fan posted online, capturing the sentiment of a fanbase thrilled by their new star’s impact. With Everton eyeing a top-six finish, Grealish’s blend of flair, grit, and off-field charisma is proving to be a game-changer.
Leave a Reply