Former Everton captain Alan Stubbs has been speaking about Jack Grealish being linked with a move to the Blues plus the club's four players whose futures remain unresolved
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Man City and England forward Jack Grealish.
Man City and England forward Jack Grealish.(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Alan Stubbs believes Jack Grealish “needs loving again” and a move to Everton could restore him to a club where the fanbase would adore him. Last week it was revealed that the Blues had been installed as bookmakers’ favourites to sign Grealish from Manchester City this summer while an article in the Daily Mail on Sunday claimed Everton are monitoring Grealish’s situation.
The piece stated: “Inside Sport understands that no talks have taken place between the two clubs, but that the Merseyside outfit is aware of Grealish’s availability.
“Any potential move would be likely to be in the shape of a loan deal, with the former Aston Villa man’s £300,000-a-week wages an issue with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules continuing to trigger headaches across the competition. However, bringing the England international to Bramley-Moore Dock would be seen as a serious statement of intent for the club’s new owners, the Friedkin Group.”
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Despite becoming the first Englishman to command a £100million fee when he moved from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021, as expected, Grealish was left out of Pep Guardiola’s squad for the FIFA Club World Cup when the 27-man party was announced on Wednesday.
Former Everton captain Stubbs reckons that the player could get the arm around him that he needs from both Blues boss David Moyes and the Evertonians at the club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium on the Mersey waterfront and told the ECHO: “I think it tells you the type of players that Everton are trying to bring to the club, which is great.
"Are Everton going to be paying 300 grand a week on Jack’s wages? I certainly don’t think so.
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“If a deal is going to happen, I think it will be one where Everton pay x and Manchester City pay y. Listen, I’d love to see Jack Grealish at Everton, I think he’s the quality that we’re looking for.
“If you look at him in a number 10 role, what he can bring compared to what we’ve already got, it’s a significant upgrade. I think Jack Grealish needs loving again, I think he needs to go to a club where the fans are going to adore him, and would certainly be the case at Everton.
“I believe that Jack needs to feel loved in terms of playing, week in, week out, and if he does that, I think we could see the best of him.”
Stubbs, who made 193 appearances for Everton and scored seven goals across two spells, was talking to best sites for UK players and also had his say over the four Blues squad players whose futures remain unresolved.
Everton released a statement on Monday saying they were offering new contracts to Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gueye, while continuing to liaise with representatives of Michael Keane and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
After receiving his OBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle, David Moyes was quoted as saying: “I think we’ll secure the ones that we really want to secure and make sure they’re here, and obviously we know we are going to have to bring in some new players, that’s obvious.”
And the 53-year-old former centre-back, who as a manager steered Hibernian to their first Scottish Cup in 114 years in 2016, said: “If you’re going in order, I’d say that Idrissa Gueye is at the top. I think trying to get him signed up is really important for David Moyes and Everton.
“He has become a vital cog in the wheel in terms of how Everton play. Certainly, towards the end of the season, I thought his performances were outstanding and that bodes well for the future.
“Idrissa is one of those players who always seems to be fit. He is going to slow down a little bit, but there aren’t any signs of that at the moment.
“Next on that list would be Dominic Calvert-Lewin because of our striker situation but all signs at the moment are pointing towards him leaving. If that’s the case, then so be it, but I think we need to draw a line under it, one way or the other.
“We can’t have this dragging on, umming and ahing, is he staying or not staying? Both parties know where they stand and if this was June 30, we’d know because the player would officially be out of contract.
“For Everton, where they are right now, it helps in terms of their recruitment if Dominic stays but I think they need to turn the page. It’s time to look in a different direction and wish the player all the best before he goes his way and the club go their way.”
Stubbs added: “From what I’m hearing, the only stumbling block with Michael Keane would be the terms of the contract. I think he’d be happy to stay but Everton need to come to a decision with Michael and the club that suits both parties best, and I can see him staying.
“Seamus is in a position where I don’t think he’s going to be an issue no matter what. I think he’d be happy with one more year if he feels that way.
“I think the club and Seamus both know exactly where they stand. The club know exactly where Seamus is, and he’s probably told the club what he feels.
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“Is he going to play 38 games next season? No.
“But what he brings off the pitch for me is just as important as the stuff on the pitch. I think that’s what David wants, especially now with Ashley Young going and how important he was in the dressing room, I think David needs Seamus there, just for next season.”