Gareth Barry believes Everton and Grealish would both benefit should he end up on Merseyside this season
Jack Grealish of Manchester City during the Premier League match with Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium in May. Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Gareth Barry believes Everton would be the perfect place for Jack Grealish to revive his career. The 29-year-old has once again been linked with the Blues as his future at Manchester City looks increasingly uncertain.
He was left out of the squad that travelled to the USA for the Club World Cup and will likely need to secure a move should he wish to launch a bid for England’s World Cup squad next summer.
For Barry, the Hill Dickinson Stadium could be a fitting destination for the attacking midfielder. With Grealish desperate to prove his talent and David Moyes eager to bring quality to his squad, the interests of both could align.
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Barry, a former England international himself, is in prime position to assess the potential for Grealish to move to Merseyside having made the same switch himself just over a decade ago. The central midfielder made more than 100 appearances for the Blues after winning the Premier League title with City.
Asked whether he believed Grealish would benefit from following that same path, he told Gambling.com: “Yes, if I was sitting in Jack’s shoes I’d be wanting to go out there and prove everyone wrong.
“People are starting to write him off a little bit. He’ll be thinking he can still get in the England squad, if he can play regular football and that’s exactly what I’d be thinking. So for me Everton would be a good move.”
Grealish has fallen out of favour under Pep Guardiola at a time when Moyes is struggling to lure the landmark talent that would add real quality to his starting XI.
Talented prospects Carlos Alcaraz, Adam Aznou and Thierno Barry have been signed this summer, with goalkeeper Mark Travers also having also joined.
Moyes would dearly love to add to his attacking options as he attempts to solve Everton’s longstanding creative woes. Whether Grealish would be the right fit remains to be seen – City are understood to be eager to claw back some of the £100m they spent on him through a permanent sale.
Meanwhile, Everton already have several options on the left side of the attack and are currently in talks with Lyon over Malick Fofana, another player who has typically thrived on that side of the pitch.
Moyes is not fearful of a high-profile loan, however. Should City come to believe there is no market for the sale of Grealish, they could be more open to a loan deal as the transfer window enters its latter stages.
For Barry, the move is one he would pursue should it become available. He added: “He probably wouldn’t have to move from where he’s living up in Cheshire, so he’d be settled off the pitch and he can go out there and concentrate on the football and prove everyone wrong, because everyone knows that he’s got the ability to go and produce the goods.
“So for me if Jack went to Everton that would be a great move.”