What the future holds for Jack Grealish after Everton: Man City reserves, Aston Villa return or surprise third option
Jack Grealish’s season-ending injury means he has to start planning the next move of his career.
Grealish suffered a foot stress fracture in Everton’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa on 18 January, with David Moyes later confirming that it would result in him missing the rest of the season.
As per the agreement when joining the Toffees on loan from Man City last summer, Everton have the option to buy Grealish for £50million at the end of the season.
However, that looks very unlikely due to financial restrictions and the fact that the 30-year-old winger may want a new adventure.
The Sofascore graphic below shows that he had a brilliant impact at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and he has several options once he leaves Merseyside.
- Read more: Everything Everton fans need to know about Jack Grealish’s situation – Injury, finances and reaction
Jack Grealish might be stuck in Man City’s reserves team
The 30-year-old was a star for his boyhood club Aston Villa, but he was never the same following his £100m move to Man City in 2021 – even if he did rack up the honours.
Grealish won nine trophies under Pep Guardiola, but he found himself at the bottom of the pecking order after the 2022-23 campaign.
Having been such a direct and tricky winger earlier in his career, he seemed to have lost his way in Manchester.
| Stat | Grealish |
| Appearances | 210 |
| Goals | 29 |
| Assists | 34 |
Playing in Guardiola’s system wasn’t beneficial for the type of player that Grealish is, which means that he ultimately has no future with Man City.
However, as he is earning £300,000 a week, the Citizens are unlikely to let him rot away in the reserves. But to compound that issue, they may find it tough to move him on to a different club.
One option or Grealish could, however, be a fairytale return to Birmingham.
Could Grealish return to Aston Villa?
He was known as the face of Aston Villa for years, having come through their academy and excelling in the Championship and Premier League.
The winger played a huge part in getting them promoted back in 2018-19, and he scored a crucial goal on the final day of the 2019-20 season to help them avoid relegation.
Since returning to Villa Park as an opposition player, Grealish hasn’t been given the best reception, but the fans would undoubtedly want him back at the club if they had the chance.
Having signed Jadon Sancho only on a loan deal from Man United, Aston Villa will be a winger short at the start of the 2026-27 season.
Their well-documented financial issues mean they won’t be able to spend a lot of money on a replacement, but there may be an alternative solution.
| Stat | Grealish |
| Appearances | 212 |
| Goals | 32 |
| Assists | 38 |
A loan could work for both parties, and it is definitely the option that would make Grealish the happiest.
With Villa likely playing in the Champions League next season, Unai Emery might want him to return to his boyhood club.
Jack Grealish linked with Barcelona to replace Marcus Rashford
According to Catalonian media outlet El Nacional, Grealish is attracting interest from Barcelona, who view him as a replacement for Marcus Rashford.
The Man United winger has done well in Spain, and there is an option to sign him permanently for a reported fee of £26m.
Barcelona plan to bolster their squad ahead of the 2026-27 season by bringing in a centre-back and a striker, meaning they might not have the funds to sign Rashford.
As a result, the Catalan outfit have drawn up a list of several candidates if they don’t decide to buy Rashford, which includes signing Grealish on loan.
It would be a phenomenal move for him, and it’s definitely an opportunity that he wouldn’t be able to turn down.
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