Jack Grealish has admitted he did not help himself during his struggles at Manchester City, while also revealing how David Moyes has got him back to his brilliant best at Everton.
Grealish had an underwhelming 2024-25 campaign, managing just three goals and five assists in 32 matches across all competitions. The left winger featured 20 times in the Premier League, though only seven of those appearances lasted 45 minutes or more.
Grealish largely had to settle for a substitute role amid competition for places from the likes of Jeremy Doku and Omar Marmoush.
It was hugely frustrating for a player who cost Man City £100million in August 2021 and had played a crucial role in them winning the treble in 2022-23.
City were tipped to sell Grealish in the summer and he was subsequently linked with clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli.
But the England international ended up joining Everton on a season-long loan instead. The deal includes a £50m option for Everton to buy next summer.
Grealish has got off to a fantastic start at Everton, establishing himself as a key creative force for Moyes and notching four assists in his first seven games.
In an interview with Sky Sports, the forward admitted he ‘didn’t help himself’ at City with his behaviour.
“People go, ‘he likes to go out, he likes to party’ – and I do,” Grealish said.
“I want to be able to live my life as well and enjoy myself, but there’s a time and a place to do that. I’ll be honest with you, I probably haven’t picked the right times.
“Sometimes at City, for example, I didn’t help myself at times, I’ll openly say that – but then I don’t think it was all down to that.
“The second year we won the treble and it was an unbelievable year. I loved it. The third year, I put that down to myself really and I feel like I didn’t do certain things right in that year.”
Grealish went on to reveal that he has been ‘feeling the love’ from Moyes and Everton, something City boss Pep Guardiola was not giving him.
“People were saying to me, ‘what are you doing going to Everton’, and I was like, ‘what do you mean?’. It’s a massive club,” he said.
“I’m at my best when I feel loved. You know I’m quite vulnerable off the pitch and I wanted to go somewhere to just feel the love again.
“It’s down to him [Moyes] for giving me that platform to go and play the way I’ve been playing. I don’t mean this in an arrogant way but I do like it when managers say, ‘you’re the footballer, go and do what you want to do’.
“I’d rather someone just be like, ‘when you get the ball Jack, just go and play.’ That’s what he says to me. Obviously you have your jobs, you have roles to do without the ball, but he says to me, ‘when you get the ball just go and do what you want to do’.”
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Jack Grealish thriving under David Moyes
Guardiola’s rigid system stifled Grealish at times, but he has now been given freedom once again under Moyes.
The 30-year-old has formed an exciting partnership with the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Recent reports suggest Everton are already planning an offer to sign Grealish permanently at the end of the season.
The Toffees do not want to pay £50m though and will try to negotiate City down from that price.
It will be interesting to see how City respond. They want to get Grealish off their books and will hope to get a good price amid his upturn in form on Merseyside.
Everton will point to the fact Grealish is now 30 to justify a price reduction.
Man City news: Contract U-turn; Bayern Munich target
Meanwhile, a City player has performed a U-turn over his future and is now in ‘advanced’ talks over a new deal.
The Cityzens are allegedly sounding out midfielders who could succeed from Rodri in the future.