Joleon Lescott has been discussing potential Everton transfer matters with Jack Grealish and Jarrad Branthwaite on the agenda
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Former Everton player Joleon Lescott acknowledges the fans after the match between Everton and Southampton at Goodison Park on May 18, 2025
Former Everton player Joleon Lescott acknowledges the fans after the match between Everton and Southampton at Goodison Park on May 18, 2025
(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Joleon Lescott has had his say on Everton-linked Jack Grealish, why David Moyes won’t want a repeat of the former defender’s own transfer to Manchester City and which striker he thinks the Blues should target. Everton are among the favourites to sign Manchester City’s out-of-favour £100million star Grealish who has been left out of Pep Guardiola’s squad for the FIFA Club World Cup tournament in the USA.
Speaking to Betway, Lescott said: “I think it’s harsh to say it’s gone wrong (for Grealish) – it’s just not as well as it was. He was a star performer in a treble-winning season. If any player wants to have their best season, it’s when you’re winning the treble.
“It probably hasn’t gone as well as he would have hoped after that. There’s never one reason for success, and there’s never one reason for it not to be successful. I wouldn’t know.
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“I speak to Jack, I’m a friend of Jack’s and if I could help him in any way, I would, but Jack’s done things I’ve never done, and can do things I couldn’t do, so who am I to critique his game?
A fellow Brummie, Lescott played for Everton and Aston Villa during his career and in terms of whether Grealish would be well-served either switching to Hill Dickinson Stadium or going back to his native West Midlands, Lescott said: “I’m going upset one fanbase there! I’m definitely aware he has ambitions to go to the World Cup.
“So, the team that gives him the best opportunity of that. I’m sure he’s speaking to Thomas Tuchel about what that looks like – ‘where do you see me fitting into your squad? Does that impact where I go? Does it have to be a team playing in the Champions League or Europa League?” There are factors that Jack will have asked in order to get the outcome that he wants.”
From a personal form perspective, Lescott arguably enjoyed the three best years of his career while he was at Everton between 2006-09, breaking into the England squad. However, after pushing for a transfer to Manchester City late in the summer transfer window when he quit the Blues, he acknowledges that manager David Moyes will be eager to avoid a repeat with the club’s most valuable asset, Jarrad Branthwaite who is attracting admiring glances from potential suitors.
Lescott said: "I know Jarrad, I’ve worked with him and I admire him. A great kid, great man, enormously talented, rapid – way faster than what he gets recognised for. He can defend, and wants to defend, which is key.
“In terms of them keeping him, I think it’s probably key the closer they get to the season. Being in that unique position, left-sided centre-half, he’s going to bring a balance that you don’t just go and get. You have to do your due diligence, and the timing has to be right in order to get left-sided players.
“They’ll want to keep him, I think there will be teams who want to acquire him and rightly so, because he’s played exceptionally well. I think the closer it gets [to the season], the less likely he leaves just because I think the club and David Moyes will recognise ‘we can’t replace him now, and we’ll be left empty-handed.’
“Again, financially, I don’t think the club need to sell as much as they have done in the past. I might be wrong with that, but it doesn’t feel that way.”
In terms of incomings, Lescott reckons that Everton, who made a move for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, only for the player to choose Chelsea, should be earmarking a new striker. He said: “I think they’re losing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, so they probably need a striker. Beto has had an impact on the team but you need more than pone, regardless of how good they are.
“Games change in moments and you need different styles. They’ve lost a few midfielders as well. I think, with the internationals, at the start of preseason, there’s only like six to seven players that are due back in.
“David Moyes has a great knowledge of the way to recruit young players, but also balance it out with some good experience. I don’t think they’ll all be surprise names, in terms of glamour. I think you’ll look and say: ‘why have they signed him?’ and then three or four months down the line you’ll say: ‘ah, right. That’s why they joined.’”
In terms of Calvert-Lewin’s potential exit, the 42-year-old added: “I don’t think it’s a loss, I think it’s just unfortunate circumstances that it’s a free, but if he was fit he wouldn’t be leaving. If it does go that way, it would be right for both parties to happen.
“Reflecting on his time there, I think he performed as well as he could under the circumstances. Knowing him and knowing how players think, no one wants to be injured.
“He hasn’t purposely tried to be injured and miss games. It’s just been unfortunate that he has missed as many as he has.
“They’ll look back and respect that when he did play, he gave maximum effort. I go back to a few years ago when Wayne Rooney first started there and [Calvert-Lewin] played at the Etihad up front on his own, and it was like, ‘oh my God, it’s crazy.’ If anyone’s getting that version of Dom, then great, but it’s just unfortunate that he’s missed so many games.”
Lescott has got his own ideas about who would be a good striker for Everton to target but given what he has said about Calvert-Lewin’s fitness level, it’s somewhat curious that he has earmarked a player who was out injured for 26 Newcastle United fixtures in 2024/25. He said: “I’ll tell you who wouldn’t be a bad one – Callum Wilson.
“He wouldn’t be a bad signing because he focuses on goals, has a high work rate and that is what Everton fans love. As much as you’re scoring goals, what are you giving?
“He plays with his heart on his sleeve. Knowing him as a person, the temperament of the club and the expectation – he’s coming from Newcastle where the expectation is very high, so he wouldn’t be fazed by the expectation of Everton either.”