Everton have been named as the 'most likely' landing spot for a big name Premier League player next season, as per a new report.
Everton chasing Europe as Toffees make summer transfer plans
Seven games — that is the margin currently separating Everton from European football next term.
EVERTON MOYES
Three points behind Liverpool in fifth and five ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea, the Toffees remain very much in the conversation, and the run-in — which includes fixtures against sides around them — gives genuine cause for optimism rather than quiet acceptance.
The context matters because Everton are not simply a mid-table club treading water.
This is a club in the midst of something more deliberate: a new stadium, new ownership in the Friedkin Group, and a manager who understands exactly what this fanbase needs from its football club.
David Moyes has fashioned a side capable of beating Chelsea 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and competing consistently at a level that now has European football in its sights for the first time in years.
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Whether that ambition is ultimately fulfilled will depend on results between now and May, but the direction of travel is unmistakable.
The summer that follows, whatever its precise league outcome, will define whether that upward trajectory continues.
A central defender of genuine Premier League pedigree is reportedly being pursued, with Raul Asencio of Real Madrid said to be attracting interest from Everton.
Further midfield and attacking reinforcements are reportedly on the agenda as well this summer, and sitting right at the heart of that planning is a question that Moyes will be desperate to resolve quickly.
Everton 'most likely' destination for Man City winger Jack Grealish
According to TEAMtalk, Man City are preparing to hold talks with Jack Grealish over his immediate future as he enters the final year of his contract at the Etihad.
Jack Grealish and Everton manager David Moyes
The meeting has not yet taken place, but its purpose is understood: City are keen for Grealish to move on, and the player himself is open to leaving.
The destination that emerges from that conversation as the 'most likely' outcome, per TEAMtalk's report, is the Hill Dickinson Stadium for a second consecutive season.
Grealish has spent the current campaign on loan at Everton, where his contribution before injury intervened was genuinely impressive.
Two goals and six assists across 20 Premier League appearances gave Moyes exactly the creative catalyst his system benefits from, and the relationship between player and club has been warm.
He has enjoyed his time on Merseyside, and Everton's desire to keep him is firm.
A second loan remains Everton's preferred route, and it is the most probable one.
Jack-Grealish-Everton-Moyes (2)
Crucially, the expectation is that any new loan deal would carry an option or obligation to buy, creating a pathway to a permanent deal without requiring Everton to commit the full £50 million asking price immediately.
What gives Everton genuine confidence is the backdrop to any negotiation.
Their relationship with Man City is good, cultivated across multiple dealings in recent years.
Grealish has been open about his positive experience on Merseyside, and the prospect of European football — still being chased, still achievable — would only sharpen the case for the player to return rather than seek a different challenge altogether.
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