Jack Grealish: Everton talks progress over Manchester City winger

Noel Sliney, BBC Sport:

It has been a chastening two years for Jack Grealish, since he enjoyed the most successful season of his career.

He had played an integral role in Manchester City’s historic Treble in 2022-23, starting the FA Cup final and every one of their seven knockout ties as the club won the Champions League for the first time.

Only six outfield City players spent more time on the pitch than Grealish in the Premier League too.

A hamstring injury halted his momentum early in 2023-24, which the England playmaker ended with more yellow cards (seven) than combined goals and assists (six) across all competitions.

He featured in just 40% of the total minutes played by City despite being in the squad for 82% of them.

His involvement dropped to 30% last term as Grealish’s career plummeted to its nadir. Three of his six starts after Christmas came against lower-league opposition in the FA Cup, while 16 starts in total is his fewest in a campaign since he was 20 years old.

Unsurprisingly, it has also been his least productive season in terms of chances created and dribbling success since returning to the Premier League in 2019.

City’s team structure has seldom afforded Grealish the license to take on and glide past opponents as he did with such insouciance as the talismanic captain at boyhood club Aston Villa.

The question now is whether the affable 29-year-old can reverse the downward trajectory of his career – and who will give him the opportunity to do so.