Everton sign Grealish as Zirkzee stays at Man Utd
Retold by Oddsrama · 1 September 2026
Everton have moved quickly to bolster their attacking options on transfer deadline day, securing Manchester City winger Jack Grealish on a season-long loan deal. The 30-year-old will reunite with manager David Moyes after an impressive first spell at Goodison Park last campaign, where he netted twice and set up six assists in 20 appearances before a foot injury cut his season short. Grealish's return adds proven Premier League pedigree to the Toffees' squad, and his comfort in the Everton system should translate to reliable output — something to monitor for those eyeing the club's attacking potential in the coming months.
However, Everton's pursuit of other striker targets fell short as the window drew to a close. Joshua Zirkzee will remain at Manchester United despite last-minute interest from the Merseyside club, while a £40m agreement with Monaco for Folarin Balogun hit a stumbling block when the USA international failed his medical. The club did manage to complete a £3m move for Arsenal veteran Ainsley Maitland-Niles from Lyon, signing the versatile 29-year-old as defensive reinforcement, while Scottish right-back Nathan Patterson departed permanently to Torino after two seasons at Goodison Park.
For bettors tracking Everton's fortunes, the Grealish loan offers some optimism — his previous form suggests he can deliver assists and creativity in the final third. But the failure to land a top-centre-forward target like Zirkzee or Balogun leaves questions about their striking depth heading into the business end of the campaign. The window hasn't delivered the transformative signing Everton chased, making their offensive output a trickier proposition to back at this stage.
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