Twenty Premier League appearances, two goals and six assists. That was Jack Grealish’s return from his first spell at Everton, packed into just over 1,600 minutes before a foot injury ended his season in January.
Those numbers are the starting point for everything that happens now. Grealish is back at Hill Dickinson Stadium on a second loan from Manchester City, and this time every minute he plays feeds into a bigger decision about his future.
Grealish Numbers From His First Everton Season
The first spell started fast. Grealish was named Premier League Player of the Month for August 2025, and across all competitions he made 22 appearances for the club before the injury.
His first goal came in stoppage time against Crystal Palace on 5 October, a scruffy finish, diverting Daniel Muñoz’s clearance over the line after Iliman Ndiaye’s penalty had levelled, that ended Crystal Palace’s unbeaten run of 19 games and sent Hill Dickinson Stadium wild. His second arrived on 2 December at Bournemouth, a deflected shot in the 78th minute that proved to be the only goal of the game and lifted Everton into the top half of the table.
Two goals from a creative wide player is a modest return, but the six assists tell the fuller story. Grealish was the player Everton ran their attacks through, and the side felt the gap as soon as he was gone.
Tracking Grealish Minutes Match by Match
After a serious injury, the headline numbers matter less than the pattern behind them. Whether Grealish starts, how long he stays on and whether his minutes rise week on week will say more about his fitness than any end of season total.
That is why this season’s numbers are being followed game by game rather than waited for in May. Fans who want to see whether he starts and how long he lasts can follow the lineups and his minutes as the match unfolds through real-time player updates on AskGamblers, which puts the substitution and the stats in front of them before the final whistle.
For a player coming back from a stress fracture, a steady run of 70 and 80 minute outings would be the clearest sign yet that his body can handle a full Premier League campaign again.
The Villa Park Win That Ended His Campaign
His last appearance of that first season came in a 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park on 18 January. The stress fracture in his foot followed, and David Moyes called it a big blow to the side at the time. He would not put a timescale on the recovery, saying only that the club was in close contact with City and waiting on the specialist.
Surgery ruled him out for the rest of the season, and with it any realistic hope of a place in England’s World Cup squad. Grealish, who described himself as gutted when the news broke, stayed with Everton throughout his rehabilitation rather than returning to City, watching the games from the stands while he recovered.
Why Everton Brought Grealish Back on Loan
Grealish started this season at City, coming off the bench in the Community Shield against Arsenal and in the opening day win over Bournemouth. On deadline day, Everton confirmed his return on loan for the rest of the 2026/27 campaign, in the window that saw Ndiaye make the opposite move to City.
Grealish was open about why he wanted to come back. He said he is at his best when he feels loved, and that Moyes, his teammates and the fans had given him that during his first spell. He also placed Moyes among the managers under whom he feels he has played his best football.
What a Permanent Grealish Move Would Need
Grealish turned 31 on 10 September, and he is in the final year of his Manchester City contract. That opens the door to a free transfer next summer if no permanent deal is agreed before then.
For Everton, the question is whether his body and his output can hold up across a full season. A permanent move makes sense if the minutes keep climbing and the assists keep coming, and the next few months of appearances will go a long way to answering that.