Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been discussing his thoughts on Jack Grealish's move to Everton
Erling Haaland on the bench with Jack Grealish during the match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium on May 2, 2025
Erling Haaland on the bench with Jack Grealish during the match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium on May 2, 2025
Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland has opened up on his true thoughts about Jack Grealish’s move to Everton, admitting that he finds it “weird” to say his close friend now sporting a royal blue jersey.
Haaland, now widely regarded as being the best centre-forward in world football, arrived at the Etihad Stadium in 2022, a year after Grealish had joined to become the first £100million English footballer. The pair of them quickly forged a tight bond on and off the pitch as they inspired Manchester City to a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League ‘treble’ in their first season together.
However, while the Norwegian international – whose prolific marksmanship has seen him plunder 129 goals in 150 games for Pep Guardiola’s side – committed his long-term future to the club with, signing a bumper nine-and-a-half year contract, understood to be worth half a million pounds-a-week, in January, tying him down until 2034, Grealish found himself surplus to requirements this summer after being left out of the squad for the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA.
Everton were strongly linked with a move for the former Aston Villa man all summer and on August 12 it was announced that he had signed for them on a season-long loan.
Last week, two days after his 30th birthday, Grealish was named Premier League Player of the Month for the first time in his career, having provided four assists in his first two starts for the Blues in August and Haaland is delighted to see his pal enjoying his football again, even though he admits he finds it strange to see him turning out for a rival. Everton News quote the striker as telling Men in Blazers: “It’s sad that he left us, I cannot joke around with him every single day… but, that’s football.
“You see him now; he’s happy, he’s playing every game – and he’s performing, which is amazing to see. I’m super happy for him.
“Everton are lucky that they have him. I wish him all the best, I hope he continues with this. It’s a bit weird to see him there, but again that’s football.”
Manchester City are due to host Everton next month at the Etihad on October 18, although Grealish will be ineligible to play against his parent club. In last season’s corresponding fixture on Boxing Day, the visitors cancelled out Bernardo Silva’s opener to earn a 1-1 draw through Iliman Ndiaye’s equaliser with Jordan Pickford saving a penalty from Haaland.