Jack Grealish has returned to Everton on loan from Manchester City
Jack Grealish receives a hug from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on his return to Everton
Jack Grealish receives a hug from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on his return to Everton(Image: GARY OAKLEY)
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Bringing back Jack Grealish can lift the mood around Everton after a disappointing transfer window reckons a former England international.
Grealish proved a hugely popular figure with the Blues during his first loan spell last season. He received the first Premier League Player of the Month award of his career in the week of his 30th birthday after providing four assists in his first two starts and he then followed that up with Hill Dickinson Stadium’s first stoppage-time winner in the 2-1 comeback victory over Crystal Palace and Everton’s first Premier League success over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
However, after helping David Moyes’ men to arguably their best result of the season, a 1-0 triumph on January 18 back at Aston Villa, who had won their previous 11 home games, it was revealed that Grealish had suffered a major injury setback and he has subsequently undergone surgery for a stress fracture in his left foot. After working his way back to fitness and featuring for Manchester City as a substitute against Arsenal in the Community Shield, the Brummie ace rejoined Everton on a second season-long loan on transfer deadline day.
On returning, Grealish said: “It feels so good. I’m so happy.
“I think I’m at my best at everything in life, not just football, when I feel loved. That’s what the manager has given me, what my team-mates have given me and especially what the fans have given me.
“Every time I see an Everton fan, it’s just pure love and the way they’ve welcomed me since that first game against Leeds, I’ll never forget that. It means a lot to me and hopefully I’ve made a few Everton fans happy.
“I had a perfect time here for the first six months, then I stayed around after I got injured. I’ve been watching all the Everton games in pre-season and since the season started.
“Now I feel ready to go. I’m ready to start training tomorrow and prepare for the games.”
Although Everton got Grealish back on Tuesday and finally required a right-back in Olympique Lyonnais’ Ainsley Maitland-Niles, star man Iliman Ndiaye departed for Manchester City while a £39million purchase of Monaco’s USA World Cup ace Folarin Balogun fell through. Arsenal legend Alan Smith reckons that Grealish’s return can bring back some of the feel-good factor though for beleaguered Blues after the club’s other transfer frustrations.
Speaking courtesy of BestBettingSites.co.uk, the 63-year-old, who won a brace of League Championships with the Gunners plus the FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup-Winners’ Cup, netting 115 goals in 351 games, said: “It’s good to get him back there, I think, and they need it. The mood’s not great on Merseyside on the blue side because of the transfer window.
“Everton are short on players. David Moyes will be a bit pessimistic, I think, deep down.
“So, Grealish is one of those because obviously, with Iliman Ndiaye going, somebody that can get the fans on their feet, and certainly Grealish can do that. So yeah, it’s important that they got him in because they’re lacking in the forward areas in creativity, I think.”