Prime Minister and lifelong Everton fan Andy Burnham is the latest to call for Manchester City’s Jack Grealish to remain on Merseyside, admitting he is “hoping” the winger commits his future to the Toffees.
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Manchester City's one-time record signing Jack Grealish spent the entirety of last season on loan at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium, and his impact clearly left a lasting impression on one of the club’s most high-profile supporters.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Burnham - who became the new British Prime Minister last month - was asked about a number of subjects from across the footballing world, and it did not take long for the conversation to turn to the club he has followed since childhood.
For Manchester City supporters, however, it was the Prime Minister’s comments on Jack Grealish that will have pricked the ears.
Despite seeing his campaign cut short by a foot injury in January, the England international did more than enough during his time on the Blue half of Merseyside to win over the Hill Dickinson faithful - with Andy Burnham very much among them.
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The lifelong Evertonian has now made no secret of his desire to see the 30-year-old return for another season when asked about the chances of the club’s new ownership backing manager David Moyes with fresh investment before the window shuts.
“I’m hoping they may put some investment in this summer,” Burnham said.
“I’m hoping Jack Grealish will give us one more year, at least I hope more than one, because he was a joy to watch last year and he brings a character that Evertonians can completely buy into.”
There is, of course, one significant complication attached to the Prime Minister’s wish: Jack Grealish remains a Manchester City player, and any decision over his immediate future must first be made at the Etihad Stadium rather than in Liverpool.
The winger was signed by Pep Guardiola from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021 for a fee of £100 million, but the past two campaigns have seen him slip down the pecking order. Based on Andy Burnham's words, Jack Grealish succeeded in connecting with the supporters as well as earning more regular minutes.
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Now back at Manchester City following the expiry of that loan agreement, the 30-year-old featured as a half-time substitute in Sunday’s FA Community Shield defeat to Arsenal in Cardiff, though his long-term role under Enzo Maresca remains up for debate.
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The Italian manager has offered only cautious public backing of the forward while pointing out that the window is open and anything can happen. The Toffees, for their part, retain a clear interest in a reunion, and now have the backing of the country’s most powerful Everton fan.
Whether Andy Burnham gets his wish, however, will depend entirely on what happens in the closing days of the window, with Manchester City still to determine whether to sanction another temporary exit, cash in permanently, or reintegrate the winger into their plans before the September 1 deadline.
It remains to be seen whether Jack Grealish will feature in the Manchester City squad when the new Premier League season gets underway this weekend, with the Sky Blues welcoming Bournemouth to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday 22 August.