Everton manager David Moyes told Jack Grealish during transfer talks that he would start life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium club as a substitute.
The Everton boss met the Manchester City attacker last summer and wanted to be sure that he would not look at the Toffees squad and immediately assume star status.
Grealish has hit the ground running since moving to the Merseyside club on loan, winning the Premier League player of the month for August for his impressive performances in their opening three games.
“You’ll be starting as a substitute and will have to earn your place,” Moyes told Grealish.
The 30-year-old indeed started his Everton loan spell on the bench, coming on for the last 19 minutes in the 1-0 loss to Leeds United.
He was included in the starting line-up for their next two league games, weighing in with two assists in each.
Grealish now has four assists in three league games for the Toffees and will now hope to maintain his form for the majority of the new campaign.
He has plans to return to the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and while Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel did not include him in his last squad, he is expected to make the next call-up for the October games.
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