Everton's summer has been one of transition and intrigue.
After narrowly avoiding relegation in recent seasons, the Toffees entered the new season determined to rebuild both their squad and their reputation.
Their start has been encouraging: an opening-day 1-0 defeat at Elland Road was quickly forgotten with back-to-back victories, including a 2-0 win over Brighton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and a thrilling 3-2 triumph away at Molineux.
The summer transfer window also saw several key departures. Veteran Ashley Young, midfield enforcer Abdoulaye Doucouré and striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin all moved on.
In their place came a blend of youth and proven Premier League pedigree.
Thierno Barry arrived from Villarreal, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea, and Tyler Dibling from Southampton.
But the headline addition was Jack Grealish - a marquee arrival from Manchester City, brought in to reignite his career after two difficult years.
Jack Grealish's revival on Merseyside
Grealish has experienced the highs and lows of modern football.
Once valued at £100m, his stock has since fallen to €28m (£24m), as per Transfermarkt, after a spell at Manchester City where injuries and competition for places limited his impact.
Grealish
Across 190 Premier League appearances, the 29-year-old has scored 27 goals - but his last two seasons were disrupted by hip and groin issues, causing him to miss 17 games.
Last term, Grealish managed just 721 league minutes, contributing one goal and one assist.
David-Moyes-Everton-Grealish
For a player who was integral to City’s treble-winning 2022/23 season - when he averaged 6.27 progressive carries per 90, 4.39 progressive passes per 90, and 4.55 shot-creating actions per 90 - the drop-off is remarkable.
His ability to progress play, carry the ball into the final third, and dictate tempo in wide areas made him invaluable to Pep Guardiola’s system, yet form and fitness deserted him at a crucial stage.
That backdrop made his switch to Everton this summer all the more intriguing.
Grealish himself admitted that a conversation with David Moyes convinced him instantly that Merseyside was the right move.
Jack-Grealish-assists-stats
And early signs suggest he may be rediscovering his best level.
Four assists in his first three matches - two against Brighton and two against Wolves - have already justified his arrival.
If he maintains that output, Grealish will surely force his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the World Cup.
The competition is fierce, with Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham both operating centrally, but Grealish’s unique ability to dictate tempo and unlock defences remains valuable.
Grealish
For Everton, he is a player with experience of winning at the highest level who can inspire those around him. Ring any bells?
James Rodríguez - the original Grealish
For Everton fans, the arrival of Jack Grealish may feel strangely familiar.
Just five years ago, the club unveiled James Rodríguez in a signing that carried similar weight and intrigue.
James-Rodriguez-Everton
Once of Real Madrid, Rodríguez arrived on a free transfer in 2020, reuniting with Carlo Ancelotti and bringing global star power to Goodison Park.
The Colombian - in need of a fresh start in his career, just like Grealish - started spectacularly.
Everton won their first four fixtures of the 2020/21 campaign, and Rodríguez contributed goal contributions with the flair that had once lit up the World Cup. Indeed, he scored three goals and registered three assists in his first six Premier League games.
James Rodriguez - 2020/21
Matches Played
Goals
Assists
Progressive Carries
Progressive Passes
Shot Creating Actions
Source: FBref
“A creative genius,” Statman Dave labelled him at the time. His vision, passing range, and ability to drift into pockets of space made Everton briefly one of the most exciting sides in the league.
Yet injuries and inconsistency took their toll.
Rodríguez never truly settled in the Premier League after that bright beginning, struggling with the physical demands and Everton’s broader decline.
James-Rodriguez-celebrating
By 2021 - and with Rafa Benitez now at the helm - he had departed for Al-Rayyan in Qatar, a move that seemed to draw a line under his time in Europe’s top five leagues.
"We have to maximise the resources we have," said Benitez amid James' exit. "Having a player being available for 50% of games in the Premier League is not something we can manage easily."
Now 34, Rodríguez plays for Club León in Mexico.
For Everton supporters, the memory of his dazzling early performances serves as a reminder of what might have been, and what could still be for their latest signing.
Comparisons with Grealish are inevitable. Both were marquee signings made to shift perception, both arrived carrying immense expectations, and both offered creativity Everton badly lacked.
Rodríguez’s initial burst of goals and assists mirrors Grealish’s early impact this season.
However, it remains to be seen whether the England international can sustain his form, avoid injury, and provide long-term value is the true test.
Jack-Grealish
Where Rodríguez drifted, Grealish now has a chance to write a different story.
By anchoring himself in a side desperate for a new talisman, he could achieve what Rodríguez could not: lasting influence at Everton.