Transforming the 100 million euro star »undesirable for Pep Guardiola, now leader in the new team

The start of Jack Grealish in Everton's shirt is explosive. Manchester City's ex-Extreme Furii at Liverpool, and his evolutions under the command of David Moyes seem to bring him back to the form, reminiscent of the player I admired at Aston Villa.

A transfer that never “stuck” to City

Grealish grew up football at Aston Villa, where, in the team's shirt, he broke the norms. He was the man who promoted the team from Championship in the Premier League at the end of the 2018-19 season and the one who maintained it in the elite of English football.

In the 2020-21 season, the extreme English had the best season of his career on “Villa Park”, with Dean Smith's coach.

It offered total freedom, and the extreme 25 years at that time gave maximum yield on the ground. And, to talk a little in figures, Grealish had seven goals and 12 decisive passes in 27 appearances in all competitions, sufficient figures to attract the interest of all the “borders” in England.

What happened, Pep Guardiola insisting on Manchester City's leadership in the summer of 2021. The Catalan coach saw in Grealish the man who will make the difference in the flanks of “citizens”.

Aston Villa was open to offers for Grealish's assignment, but only for the right price. An amount that would have exceeded 100 million euros. City's Arab owners, known for not scratching money, liked Pep and spent 117.5 million euros, bringing the extreme English to Manchester.

A transfer that represented at that time the most expensive in the history of Premier League and the most expensive move of an English footballer of all time. A record that is maintained today.

Moreover, it remains now the most expensive transfer in Manchester City's history.

However, things at Manchester did not evolve as both parties were expected. Although during the time in City, Grealish won three titles in England, a Champions League trophy in season 2022-23, a European Super Cup and a Cup of England, he never acquired the role he had at Aston Villa.

This is also reflected in its figures at Manchester City, which shows that it was not as productive as in the years spent on “Villa Park”. Specifically, Grealish recorded a total of 157 appearances in the “citizens” shirt, scoring 17 goals and offering 23 decisive passes.

Moreover, in the last part of last season, he had fallen into the disgrace of Pep Guardiola, and the fact that he was excluded from the lot for the recent World Club Cup was the drop that filled the glass. This determined to desperately seek a way to leave Manchester.

Football Renaissance at Everton

Arrived during the summer transfers and receiving the message from the PEP that it is no longer based on it, Grealish wanted at any price a football environment that makes him feel unique and where he could display his talent.

The solution was found at Everton, the “caramel” obtaining the loan of the extreme English by the summer of 2026, giving it the chance to find itself. The agreement includes a purchase option worth 57 million euros.

One thing that, as it turns out, works beneficial for Greek, because in four appearances in all competitions it has already achieved four decisive passes.

Grealish seems to have found the realm of promise to Everton and return to the “factory settings”. The extreme English may have been undesirable to Manchester, but became the absolute leader of Moyes's team, winning the hearts of fans “caramel”.