Everton star Jack Grealish and manager David Moyes
Everton star Jack Grealish and manager David Moyes
The on-loan Manchester City winger was punished for what Everton described as a breach of club disipline.
It was later reported that the 31-year-old missed a training session without authorisation from Everton.
Grealish has consequently been absent for the squad from the two wins over Newcastle United and the comeback victory over Coventry City.
The former Aston Villa attacker is thought to be working towards first-team reintegration at Finch Farm over the international break.
But the Athletic journalist Paddy Boyland has told David Moyes not to send the wrong message to others in the team with his return.
What has David Moyes been told to avoid with Jack Grealish?
Grealish was impressing during his first loan spell at Hill Dickinson Stadium before injury curtailed his campaign in February.
After a long-running summer saga, Grealish returned to Everton from Man City on loan for the 2026/27 campaign.
Grealish has struggled to build momentum, though, and he has not played now since the 17 October defeat to Chelsea.
It looks as thought there may be a return to the squad in the not-too-distant future, with Grealish using the international break to build his fitness.
However, Boyland - speaking on the Blue Room podcast - thinks Moyes should stick with the likes of Tyrique George and Tyler Dibling even if Grealish is available again.
He feels that if Grealish were to come back into the XI it would send the wrong message to the younger players.
Boyland said: "The other part of this matter is that, while I think it would be good for Everton to have another body back in the squad, the team is winning.
"For me that means that lads who are doing a good job right now very much deserve to be given more chances to do a good job. That's Tyrique George, for me he has to keep his place on the left wing for now.
"Let's go with him, young talent, really exciting and see what he can do.
"That's even I think Tyler Dibling, it would send the wrong message. I want Jack Grealish to come back and I want Jack Grealish to do well for Everton and I hope he's okay.
"What I don't want is it to affect the young lads in particular, who've been doing such a good job now.
"I think basically what I'm saying is he needs to earn his place back. I don't think that's controversial."
What does the future hold for Jack Grealish at Everton?
This is kind of the million-dollar question, isn't it?
Everton, as we all know, are dealing with a threadbare squad at the moment, so not having a player like Grealish available is problematic.
That being said, it makes no sense to launch him back into the team given Everton are in good form at the moment.
If he trains well, impresses in training, perhaps contributes from the bench, then that's fine, he deserves to come back in.
But it's a situation Moyes will need to handle carefully, because he can't risk disrupting the harmony in camp.