Jack Grealish has reflected on his best performance for Everton so far this season, with Pep Guardiola hinting that the loanee could return to Manchester City next year.
Manager Josep Guardiola has not ruled out Jack Grealish returning to Manchester City’s first team next season after his impressive form at Everton.
The former Aston Villa winger, 30, was deemed not to meet the Etihad’s requirements this summer after falling down the pecking order. Grealish ended up joining Everton on loan and got off to a great start with the Toffees, scoring five points (one goal, four assists) in his first seven Premier League games.
Unfortunately for Everton and Grealish, he will not be available when his parent clubs face each other on Saturday afternoon. And Guardiola’s comments on the eve of the match suggest the door may still be open for Grealish at City.
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read more: Why Jack Grealish was banned from Everton vs Man City
“I think he has one more year of contract with us,” Guardiola said at the pre-match press conference. “The important thing is that he is back. He has a huge influence on Everton’s game. After what happened, maybe Manchester City would want him back, but I don’t know.
“There’s still a lot to come. We’ll see. The important thing is that he’s going to play a lot of minutes again. That’s the standard. I’m really, honestly happy that he’s back and doing his best.”
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Manager David Moyes admitted Grealish will be widely missed on Saturday. Guardiola was also asked about the rule banning players from playing against their parent club, adding: “That’s the rule. If I were CEO or chairman of a big organization in England, I’d probably change it. If he plays, it would be great, but I have no opinion.”
Grealish failed to make an impact in 2024-25, starting just seven games in Guardiola’s Premier League side.
Guardiola is not the first to admit that he is impressed with the England winger, who has once again been in the spotlight for his time at Everton. Asked if he had spoken to Grealish much during his absence, the City boss said: “Not when he left, but we haven’t spoken since then. Hopefully I’ll see him tomorrow when he comes to the Etihad.”
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