Sometimes the clearest sign that a player is edging back toward the picture is not a statement or a training ground appearance, but a quiet clip of work being done. That is where Jack Grealish is right now: still recovering, still building, and still giving Everton a reason to think next season could look different.
Last week, Grealish shared exercise bike footage alongside Manchester City team-mate Kalvin Phillips while stepping up his recovery from a stress fracture in his left foot. It was a small update, but an important one. Grealish is not back yet, and the fact that he is still in rehab mode is a reminder of how badly the second half of his campaign was interrupted after surgery following the January 18 win over Aston Villa.
The injury came after a bright start to life on loan at Everton. Grealish’s first two starts brought four assists, and he went on to win the first Premier League Player of the Month award of his career in the week of his 30th birthday. For a player who arrived with questions about fit and finish, that was a strong answer. He looked like someone who had found a role that suited him, not just a shirt to wear.
Why Everton are still interested
That early spell helps explain why Hill Dickinson Stadium chiefs are exploring ways of bringing Grealish back next season. The football case is obvious enough. Richard Dunne has described him as a ball carrier who can get you up the pitch and win free-kicks, which is a useful profile for a side that wants territory and control in moments when matches get sticky. He has also argued that if the deal is correct for Everton, Grealish could be a really good signing.
There is also the less measurable part of it. Dunne said it felt like unfinished business with Grealish and Everton last season, and that he and the supporters took to each other quickly. That matters because loan moves are often judged only by numbers, but chemistry can be just as important when a club is trying to decide whether a short-term success should become something longer lasting.
Of course, the injury changes the equation. Grealish missed the second half of the campaign after undergoing surgery, so any return would need to be built on fitness as much as form. Everton would not just be buying the version of Grealish they saw in August and September; they would be betting that he can get back to that level after a long layoff.
Still, the combination of early impact, clear fit and current recovery work keeps the story alive. The bike footage with Kalvin Phillips does not tell us when Grealish will return. It does show that the next chapter is being prepared, and Everton appear ready to see whether there is still unfinished business to complete.
