Look up what Jack Grealish is going to cost Everton and you will find, in the same week, figures described as a very minimal fee, a figure around £10m, and estimates of £15–20m.
That is not sloppy reporting. It is an accurate reflection of the fact that nobody knows, including the two clubs — and the reason is a single line on his contract.
The final-year problem
Grealish has one year remaining at Manchester City. That fact does more to set his price than anything he does on a pitch.
When a contract expires, the player is free to join anyone for nothing. So a club buying him now is not paying for a footballer. It is paying to have him twelve months earlier than it could have him for free.
| Years left on contract | Selling club’s position |
|---|---|
| 3+ | Strong. Can refuse and lose nothing. |
| 2 | Comfortable, but the clock has started. |
| 1 | Weak. Sell now for something, or keep him and get nothing. |
Which is why both sides are waiting, and why the number keeps moving. Everton’s incentive is to wait, because every week that passes makes the alternative — signing him free next summer — more realistic. Manchester City’s incentive is to sell before that alternative becomes obvious to everyone. Neither position is unreasonable, and neither produces a fixed price. A reported fee in this situation is a snapshot of a negotiation, not a valuation — so a range from “minimal” to £20m is what honest reporting of an unsettled deal actually looks like.
What he did on loan
Last season at Everton he recorded two goals and six assists in 22 appearances, before a foot injury in January ended his campaign.
Those are modest numbers on their own, and they are part of the pricing problem too. A loan spell interrupted by injury gives a buying club real information about fit and none about durability — which is exactly the thing that matters when signing a 30-year-old.
Age, pointing the same way
He is 30. As with the contract, this pushes the fee down rather than up: there is little prospect of selling him on later at a profit, so the fee has to be justified entirely by what he does in the next two or three seasons.
The wage bill matters more than the fee in a case like this. Reports have put his wages at a high level, and for a club in Everton’s position the weekly cost over several years can comfortably exceed whatever transfer figure is eventually agreed.
How this resolves
- A deal at a reduced fee before the window shuts — the most common outcome when a selling club is in the final year.
- No deal, and Everton return in the summer when he is free — cheaper, but with the risk that somebody else does the same.
- A contract extension at City, which would reset the whole calculation and is the one thing that would put the price back up.
Until one of those happens, any number you read is a position in a negotiation. The useful thing is knowing why they disagree.
Reporting on a potential permanent transfer of Jack Grealish from Manchester City to Everton, following a season-long loan, appeared across Sky Sports, ESPN, BBC Sport, Goodison News and Football Insider in 2026, with fee figures variously described as very minimal, around £10.4 million, and estimated at £15–20 million, and reported wages of around £200,000 per week. His loan record of two goals and six assists in 22 appearances, and a foot injury in January ending his season, are from that coverage, as is the statement that one year remains on his Manchester City contract. No permanent transfer had been confirmed as completed at the time of writing. Transfer fees are reported rather than published and figures frequently differ between outlets. The explanation of how remaining contract length affects transfer valuation is general football finance background.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is Jack Grealish signing for Everton permanently?
Everton have been working toward converting last season’s loan into a permanent transfer. No completed permanent deal had been confirmed at the time of writing, and reported terms differ between outlets.
How much is he expected to cost?
Reports vary widely, from a nominal or “very minimal” fee to figures around £10m and estimates of £15–20m. That range reflects genuine uncertainty rather than one figure being correct.
Why do the reported fees differ so much?
Because he has one year left on his Manchester City contract. A player in the final year of a deal can leave for nothing when it expires, so any fee is a negotiation about how much a buyer will pay to avoid waiting rather than a settled market value.
How did he do on loan at Everton?
Two goals and six assists in 22 appearances, before a foot injury in January ended his season early.
How old is he?
30, which affects the calculation in the same direction as the contract situation — there is limited resale value at the far end of the deal.
Why would Manchester City sell rather than keep him?
A player entering the final year can be sold for a fee now, or kept and lost for nothing later. Selling clubs in that position are usually negotiating against their own deadline.
