Credit: Imago and Manchester City via YouTube

Daniel Lewis

Mon 4 May 2026 11:40, UK

Pep Guardiola has commented on Jack Grealish‘s future amid talk that the attacking midfielder could return to Everton next season.

Grealish has spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Hill Dickinson Stadium, albeit he has not featured since mid-January due to injury.

The England international’s season was ended four months early, but he certainly made a lasting impression on the Toffees’ fanbase.

Grealish is now set to return to Manchester City, where he has another 12 months to run on his existing contract.

But there is still every chance Grealish could end up at Everton on a permanent basis before the start of next season.

Jack Grealish’s importance at Everton can’t be understated

Grealish’s injury record does of course raise alarm bells, especially considering he will not come cheap this summer.

Off-field antics regarding Grealish have also made headlines again over the past week or so and it appears they will never truly go away.

However, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Grealish scored two goals and assisted six more in 20 Premier League games this season.

Granted, those figures are not exactly enough to force The Friedkin Group to write a massive cheque to Man City.

But add a little extra context and you begin to see how good Grealish was for Everton in the four months or so he was playing under David Moyes.

Grealish’s 0.44 goal involvements per 90 minutes this season has been bettered only by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (0.47) and – somewhat surprisingly – Beto (0.60).

Everton’s 1.55 points per match with Grealish in the side, meanwhile, is bettered only by Nathan Patterson (1.67) and Seamus Coleman (3), who have both played far fewer times.

Guardiola unsure what’s next for Grealish

So Everton would no doubt like Grealish back, the player himself would surely love to return, but what about Man City?

Speaking ahead of City’s clash with Everton on Monday night, Guardiola was inevitably asked exactly that question.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I want the best for Jack. I know the impact at Everton was really good, playing minutes he had in the Treble season.

“Unfortunately he had the injury, but hopefully he can recover and next season can continue to play.”

Guardiola knows what is best for Grealish, and that is playing regularly. Had the injury not occured, that would have been possible on Merseside.

The days of the 30-year-old playing regularly at City are long gone, though, and he will want out this summer.

Everton have had a test drive, so to speak, and there is no reason why an offer should not now be tabled early in the summer window.

Grealish will then have a few months to get himself fully up to speed in time for 2026-27, which could be the season of his life in terms of output.

Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Goodison Park.