Credit: Imago

Daniel Lewis

Wed 11 March 2026 11:40, UK

Everton loanee Jack Grealish has sent a short message to Kyle Walker following the full-back’s announcement that he has retired from England duty.

Walker officially brought down the curtain on his Three Lions career on Tuesday after earning 96 caps for his country.

Grealish has played in the same England side as Walker regularly down the years, as well as for parent club Manchester City prior to the defender’s move to Burnley last year.

At a time when Grealish’s club future is up in the air, Walker has at least provided some clarity over his own on the international stage.

Jack Grealish sends message to Kyle Walker after England retirement

Walker will go down as one of England’s all-time great players given his consistency and also his success, relatively speaking.

Posting on his personal Instagram page shortly after news emerged of Walker’s international retirement on Tuesday, Grealish wrote: “Legend.”

The post was accompanied by a praying hands emoji, a love hands emoji and a blue love heart, with Grealish clearly very fond of his former team-mate.

Walker, who turns 36 in May, will continue his career at club level with Burnley.

What about Grealish’s own future?

Grealish was desperate to be part of England’s World Cup squad, and had a very good chance of achieving that thanks to his form in an Everton shirt.

However, the versatile attacker sustained an injury in January that will likely rule him out for the rest of the campaign.

Even if he does return, there is now next to no chance he will be selected by Thomas Tuchel for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

That is a brutal reality Grealish must now face, at a time when his club future is also uncertain to say the least.

Everton would love to keep hold of the England international, but his price tag – thought to be around £50million – is simply too much.

If the Toffees can negotiate a better fee, a permanent deal could be on. If not, Grealish will be looking for another club in the summer as his time at the Etihad Stadium looks done.