Sunderland continue to make progress in the market and could now move closer to bringing a star who is following in the footsteps of Lucas Bergvall to the Stadium of Light, according to a report.

Sunderland close in on statement Granit Xhaka deal

The Black Cats have wasted absolutely no time on transfers as they prepare for a return to the Premier League, bringing no fewer than six new bodies to help Regis Le Bris in his survival mission.

Now, Sunderland are set to wrap up a deal to sign Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen for a starting fee of £13 million, topped off by around £4.3 million paid in add-ons.

Signing a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light, the Switzerland international agreed personal terms last week and is now set for a medical.

Taking their pursuit of firepower to new heights, Sunderland are reported to have submitted an offer for free agent Jamie Vardy after he left Leicester City at the end of last term under freedom of contract.

Making a frank admission, Le Bris has admitted the Black Cats are also still in the market for a goalkeeper after missing out on Marcin Bulka, as he stated: “I think we probably still need to sign a goalkeeper. The market is still open, although the market is unpredictable and it is always like that.

Bad news for O’Nien: Sunderland submit £17m bid to sign “ice-cold” star

Sunderland have now submitted a £17m bid for this ice-cold target.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 24, 2025

“At the minute, we are focused on the squad we have – that is always the case, but obviously we will also be trying to reinforce the squad. We don’t know when, and we don’t know how exactly, but we are working hard behind the scenes.”

Continuing their aggressive pursuit of incomings, Sunderland could now be set to enter the race for a talented midfielder, per recent developments.

Sunderland eyeing move for Matias Siltanen

According to On The Minute, Sunderland are interested in signing Djurgarden midfielder Matias Siltanen, who is also said to be on the radar of Leicester City, Bournemouth, Manchester City, Rennes, PAOK and Bundesliga sides.

Making his debut at only 15 years of age, the 18-year-old is valued at around £2.59 million and could follow Lucas Bergvall’s footsteps by making the jump from Djurgarden to the Premier League.

Matias Siltanen in 2024/25 – all competitions
Appearances	23
Goals	0
Assists	1

Operating primarily as a defensive midfielder, Siltanen has won 82 duels and made 88 recoveries in Sweden’s top-flight. Meanwhile, he also racked up 27 successful tackles.

Currently a Finland Under-19 international, he has already helped former outfit KuPS to a league and cup double before crossing the Swedish border in January.

While Siltanen would likely be one for the future, taking a futuristic approach is never a bad thing from a Sunderland perspective, especially given the Kuopio-born man can play in various engine room roles.

Nevertheless, competition for his signature is fierce, emphasising that there is work to be done before any move to the Stadium of Light can officially materialise.

Pep Guardiola has been brutally told that he does not have another Premier League title in him, with a new contract signed to “shut people up”.

Catalan coach arrived at the Etihad in 2016Approaching a decade of loyal serviceMay choose to walk if trophies prove elusiveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After much speculation regarding his future, Catalan coach Guardiola agreed an extension at Manchester City last season that is due to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2027. He did, however, fail to land major silverware in the 2024-25 campaign.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Questions have been asked, with City dropping points early on this term, of whether Guardiola is struggling to get his message across and maintain the highest of standards after nine years in Manchester. It may be that he bows out after completing a decade of loyal service.

Getty Images

WHAT HAMANN SAID

Quizzed on whether Guardiola could walk away next summer, former City midfielder Dietmar Hamann – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “Yeah. But I said that last year and I’m surprised he’s still there now, because everything comes to an end.

“They’ve changed in the last couple of years, they’ve brought quite a few players in and there’s some players who’ve been there for a few years. You need to galvanise them and light a fire within them, the team, the fans. He’s been there such a long time and I’m just not sure he’s still got it in him.

“I said in the summer I’d be surprised if he wins another big title. I don’t think he will. I don’t think he wins the Premier League or the Champions League. There’s always a chance to win five or six games and win a League Cup or an FA Cup. The big two trophies, I can’t see him winning.

“I think his contract was extended last year just to smooth things down, to keep people quiet, probably to shut people up who said, ‘It’s about time for him to go’. I don’t think they will sack him, but I’d be surprised if he’s still there in two years’ time.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Having broken all kinds of records across stints with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, Hamann added when asked if Guardiola’s next role could see him move into international management: “It’s probably the most likely. I can’t see him working for another club in England. Is he going to come back to Germany? Bayern Munich’s probably the only one, I can’t really see that.

“I think international football, as he’s in his early-to-mid 50s now, is probably the port of call. But I think he’ll have a break first. If you do that job for 10 years, it’s not only the pressure of having success, it’s also the rest that comes with it. Media stuff you have to do. It’s a 24/7 job and you can very rarely switch off.

“[Jurgen] Klopp after eight or nine years said, ‘I need a break now’. He’s been doing it longer than him. He’s probably even more intense than Klopp. So, he’ll probably have a break, and then I’m sure there are a lot of countries who wouldn’t mind his services.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers wants the club to bring in new attackers to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch before the end of the summer transfer window.

Speaking after the 2-0 win over Aberdeen, the boss said: “Listen, there’s no doubt that we need to reinforce the top line. There’s no doubt, I’m really pleased with where we are structurally in defensive numbers.”

He added: “But I think we need competition at the top end of the field. So, yes, for Adam, he’s a big, honest boy. He was at his best here when was really challenging with Kyogo for the position. And that is something that is important, I think, for us to get.”

This shows that the Hoops want to strengthen their options in the final third, despite winning both of their opening matches in the Scottish Premiership this season.

It will now be interesting to see where Celtic go to find reinforcements for their attack, whether they go big with a huge money signing, a player from a major league, or an unknown gem.

One of Celtic’s most successful striker signings in the last decade is Odsonne Edouard, who joined in an interesting move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.

How Celtic hit gold with Odsonne Edouard

The Hoops swooped to bring the French marksman to the club for the 2017/18 campaign on an initial season-long loan, in what was not a marquee addition at the time due to his lack of first-team exposure.

Edouard had only played 17 matches at senior level, scoring one goal, on loan at Toulouse in the previous season, which meant that Celtic had not brought in an established star who looked primed to be a prolific scorer for the club.

The young marksman, though, did enjoy a successful season on loan with the Scottish giants with a return of 11 goals in 29 games in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, for the Hoops, which convinced the club to sign him on a permanent deal in the summer of 2018.

Celtic reportedly splashed out a record fee of £9m to sign Edouard after his loan came to an end, and that turned out to be money well spent by the Bhoys.

24/25

Daizen Maeda

33

23/24

Kyogo Furuhashi

19

22/23

Kyogo Furuhashi

34

21/22

Kyogo Furuhashi

20

20/21

Odsonne Edouard

22

19/20

Odsonne Edouard

29

18/19

Odsonne Edouard

22

As you can see in the table above, the Frenchman scored 22 goals or more in all three of his seasons at Parkhead as a permanent player, and no player has scored 20 goals or more in three successive seasons since he left.

Premier League side Crystal Palace reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £18.5m to sign the striker from Celtic in the summer of 2021, which meant that the Hoops made a significant profit on the £9m that they paid.

The Scottish giants are now reportedly looking at a potential deal to sign a player who could come in as a repeat of this Edouard masterclass, albeit in a different position.

Celtic have £13m star on their radar

According to Football Insider, Celtic and Rangers are both interested in a deal to sign AS Monaco left-back Kassoum Ouattara to bolster their respective squads.

The report claims that the Ligue 1 side are set to demand a fee of £13m to sell the player on a permanent basis, and both Scottish teams are unwilling to pay that price this summer.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider: “Ouattara is somebody who has emerged on their radar. Right now, the big question mark is whether it would be a loan or a permanent deal. I think if it’s a permanent deal that Monaco are only considering, that might just be too pricy for both Rangers and Celtic.

He added: “It’s not going to be a straightforward deal for Rangers or Celtic, but it’s definitely a position both clubs are looking at as they want to strengthen their options.“

This suggests that an initial loan deal with an option or an obligation to make it permanent next year, similar to the Edouard deal, could be the route for Celtic to go down.

Why Celtic should sign Kassoum Ouattara

The Hoops should push to sign the French left-back to compete with Kieran Tierney because he is an exciting young talent who could be an Edouard repeat.

Like the former Celtic marksman, the Monaco youngster would arrive at the club on an initial loan, if that is the deal they can agree, from a Ligue 1 team after only playing 16 times at first-team level last season.

Ouattara, who was hailed as “seriously talented” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is a player who has the potential to enjoy success at Parkhead in the same way that Edouard did, albeit in a different position.

In his limited game time in Ligue 1 during the 2024/25 campaign, the 20-year-old starlet showed great promise as an offensive option from left-back, whilst playing at a good level in one of Europe’s major leagues.

xA

0.29

Top 5%

Chances created

1.38

Top 17%

Successful crosses

1.62

Top 7%

Cross accuracy

41.2%

Top 9%

Successful dribbles

1.15

Top 12%

Assists

0.23

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Ouattara ranked highly among his positional peers when it came to creating chances for his teammates, and getting his side up the pitch with dribbles.

These statistics suggest that the youngster would be well-suited to playing in a Celtic team that dominates games week-in-week-out, given that they have won the league in each of the last four seasons and won their first two games without conceding a goal.

This means that Ouattara would have the license to constantly bomb on and attack down the left flank, overlapping the winger, to showcase his creative qualities in the final third.

Therefore, the 20-year-old talent would have the perfect platform to show other teams what he is about to attract interest from elsewhere, which is what Edouard had when he scored 22 goals or more in three straight seasons to earn a big move to Monaco.

He'd fill the Jota-shaped hole: Celtic in pursuit of signing £5m "threat"

Celtic are reportedly still in pursuit of a deal to sign a star who would fill the hole left by Jota’s injury.

ByDan Emery Aug 11, 2025

Celtic could, therefore, repeat their Edouard masterclass by signing Ouattara on loan before bringing him in permanently next year, with a view to him being sold on for a profit in the future.

Klinger will combine role with coaching positions in the WPL and WBBL

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2024Michael Klinger, the former Australia batter, has been named head coach of Manchester Originals women’s team, replacing Stephen Parry in the role.Klinger has juggled a number of coaching and administrative jobs since finishing his playing career in 2019. He currently coaches WPL team Gujarat Giants, is general manager of Washington Freedom in MLC, and assistant coach at Sydney Thunder in the WBBL.He was previously head of men’s T20 for Cricket New South Wales and coached Melbourne Renegades in the BBL between 2019 and 2021.”This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for me, and I am eagerly looking forward to arriving at Emirates Old Trafford next summer,” Klinger said. “The Originals women have an extremely talented group of players, and we will have the opportunity to add to that with the squad retentions and draft coming up early next year.”I hope that I can help the team to push on, achieve our ambitions and bring success to Manchester in the Hundred women’s competition.”Originals finished seventh and sixth in their two seasons under Parry and are the only team in the women’s Hundred never to have qualified for the knockouts.James Sheridan, Manchester Originals chair, said: “We are delighted to bring one of the world’s leading franchise cricket coaches to the group as part of our ambition to provide our fans with the very best cricket stars and sporting entertainment in Manchester every August.”Michael was the outstanding candidate throughout the process – led by Mark Chilton – and will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, across both women’s and men’s cricket, with him to Manchester Originals next summer.”This appointment marks the start of a new era for the team, and we are extremely excited by what this group of players can achieve under Michael’s leadership.”

عانى نادي برشلونة من صعوبات كبيرة خلال الشهر الماضي حيث تعرض العديد من لاعبيه الأساسيين لإصابات بدنية منعت تواجدهم مع الفريق.

ومن بين اللاعبين الذين غابوا عن برشلونة بسبب الإصابة، فيرمين لوبيز الذي تعرض لإصابة عضلية في وقت متأخر من مباراة خيتافي في الدوري الإسباني.

وذكر النادي في بيان رسمي في وقت سابق أن لاعب خط الوسط المهاجم صاحب الـ23 عاماً سيغيب عن الملاعب لمدة ثلاث أسابيع.

ووفقاً للصحفي “أليكس بيتانيل” فإن فيرمين لوبيز لاعب خط وسط برشلونة أستأنف تدريباته على العشب متخذا خطوة إيجابية في تعافيه، مما يشكل دفعة معنوية لمدربه الألماني هانز فليك.

أقرأ أيضاً.. يوضح أسبابًا قد تدفع تشافي هرنانديز لتدريب مانشستر يونايتد

ومن المتوقع أن يعود نجم برشلونة في الوقت المناسب لمواجهة جيرونا في الدوري الإسباني، مباشرة بعد فترة التوقف الدولي القادمة.

وكان فيرمين قد قدم مستوى كبيرًا مع برشلونة قبل إصابته، واثبت نفسه كلاعب أساسي في مركز الرقم 10 متقدماً على داني اولمو، بعد عروضه الرائعة ضد فالنسيا ونيوكاسل يونايتد.

وتمثل هذه الإصابة ضربة موجعة لنجم برشلونة الشاب الذي رفض عرضاً مغرياً من تشيلسي في الصيف لمواصلة مسيرته مع برشلونة.

Ben Sawyer has been reappointed head coach of the New Zealand women’s team for two years.Sawyer, who oversaw New Zealand’s first-ever T20 World Cup win earlier this year – they beat South Africa in the final – will remain at the helm until December 2026. This period includes the women’s ODI World Cup in India in late 2025 and the women’s T20 World Cup in England in mid 2026.”I’m stoked Ben’s re-signed with us,” white-ball captain Sophie Devine said. “The work he’s done with the White Ferns group and for women’s cricket in New Zealand has been huge.Related

• Ben Sawyer charged with New Zealand's rebuilding process as new head coach

“The team is in a great spot right now, so I think locking him in for another two years and having that consistency will be big for us.”Sawyer, who has worked as an assistant coach with the Australia women’s team in the past, was first appointed New Zealand head coach on a two-year contract in June 2022, which ran through till the end of the India tour in October 2024. His reappointment follows an extensive review process, according to a NZC press release.New Zealand did not start their year well, winning just one in 13 T20Is heading into the T20 World Cup, but they turned things around in the UAE.”We’re so pleased to have Ben sign on for another two years,” Liz Green, NZC head of women’s high performance, said. “He’s unlocked a lot of belief and trust in this group and to have him stay now is massive, both for the current squad, and the long-term planning for the White Ferns. The consistency and stability is important.”Ben’s played a big part in progressing the White Ferns and helping build the women’s pathway. There was a huge amount of growth during that tournament, a result of what Ben and the coaches have been building over the last two years.”New Zealand will next take on Australia in a three-match ODI series that gets underway on December 19 in Wellington. The squad for the series will be announced later this week.NZC also said that the T20 World Cup trophy will be on display at the upcoming matches, “giving fans the chance to see it up close and capture photos”.

The mood around Chelsea is undeniably electric at the moment.

Enzo Maresca’s side more than made up for their opening-day stumble at home with an emphatic win away to West Ham United on Friday, and look ready for what should be a massive season in the Premier League and beyond.

The club have more than backed the manager over the last few months, and with the window open for another week, looks set to make at least a couple more additions to his squad.

In fact, if reports are to be believed, Chelsea may be closing in on an international ace who’d be their own version of Eberechi Eze.

Chelsea target their own Eberechi Eze

They haven’t been the biggest spenders in the league this summer, but Chelsea have undoubtedly made the most out of the window so far.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

In attack, the Conference League champions have added the likes of Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, while the defence has been reinforced by the tremendously exciting Jorrel Hato.

Yet, even with all the business the West Londoners have done over the last few months, they now look set to complete another signing, someone who could be their own Eze.

At least that is according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has reaffirmed Chelsea’s interest in Alejandro Garnacho.

More than that, the Italian journalist has revealed that the deal is now “expected” to happen before the window slams shut.

Romano does not mention how much the Manchester United ace might cost, but according to stories from earlier this month, the Blues could try to secure his services for around £25m.

Even if the final fee ends up being higher, Garnacho is worth signing for Chelsea, especially as he could be their own Eze.

Why Garnacho could be Chelsea's Eze

So the first thing to clear up is that no, we are not claiming Garnacho is currently on the same level as Eze.

That would be patently untrue and quite unfair to the United ace, as he’s still just 21 years old.

However, there are several similarities between the two, including their transfers.

For example, if the Argentine international does end up joining Maresca’s blue revolution this summer, then he’d be following the Englishman in joining not just a ‘big six’ side, but one based in London that will be looking to challenge for the Premier League this season.

Away from the deal, another key characteristic the Madrid-born ace shares with the former Crystal Palace star is his ability to play in attacking midfield or out on the left wing.

More than that, he’s also as much of a goal threat as he is a creator.

For example, the “superstar” in the making, as dubbed by journalist Liam Canning, was able to score 11 goals and provide ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3568 minutes.

Garnacho in 24/25

Appearances

58

Minutes

3568′

Goals

11

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvements

169.90′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That means he was able to average a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or 169.90 minutes, which is made all the more impressive considering he was playing in a historically terrible United side.

Finally, just as Eze has the ability to pull off the magnificent, so can Garnacho, with his Puskas winning goal against Everton a couple of years ago, the perfect example of this.

Ultimately, it may take some time for the United ace to reach the levels of the new Arsenal star, but the similarities between them are undeniable.

Therefore, Chelsea should do what they can to secure his services as soon as possible.

Related He's their next Palmer: Chelsea ace has held talks over leaving the Bridge

Chelsea really are having a summer clearout as this rising star looks set to be the next to leave.

Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Aug 25, 2025

Since they last won the title, Sydney Sixers have consistently reached the finals but stumbled short of the prize

Andrew McGlashan25-Jan-2025

Moises Henriques was left to ponder another finals campaign which fell short•Getty Images

Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques has called for the club to take a hard look at why they have stumbled in finals over recent seasons after falling to crosstown rivals Sydney Thunder in the Challenger on Friday, but he refused to blame the absence of key players on Australia Test duty.Sixers had given themselves a double chance of reaching Monday’s final by finishing second in the regular season but lost to Hobart Hurricanes in the Qualifier before coming up short against Thunder at the SCG.It meant that since winning the second of back-to-back titles in the 2020-21 season, they have won just two out of nine matches in finals series.Related

All the BBL lists ahead of the trade window and those off contract

Thunder one step away from BBL title as Billings, spinners shine

Warner 'still the best by a country mile' as he leads Thunder to BBL final

“Unfortunately we’ve saved our worst two performances for the last two games of the year,” he said. “We do have to have a look at how we’ve performed in finals the last three years because I don’t think our record is great now. We gave ourselves two chances this year because of how well we played throughout the year. We had two chances last year as well and two chances the year before.”I am proud that we’ve got a group that consistently puts us in a position to win the tournament and gives us the very best opportunity at the end of the league games to go on and win but unfortunately this year we weren’t good enough.”Henriques said the debrief on the season would start straightaway. After the final there is a ten-day trade window where out-of-contract players from other clubs can be signed. Sixers head into that period with ten on their list – the maximum permitted – leaving Jackson Bird, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Ben Manenti and Kurtis Patterson as those who are free agents.”It’s the high pressure nature of sport that you can’t always perform when you want to,” Henriques said. “Why we’ve been not able to play our best in these games is something we’re going to have to have a look at and definitely discuss for a while after the game because we’re not rushing off to anywhere. There’s a lot to learn from the last couple of days.”Some of the best learnings are in these situations because a lot of that group is going to be around again next year and hopefully we can put ourselves in a position next year to challenge again.”Steven Smith was available for three matches this season where he made a spectacular 121 not out followed by 52 but, along with Todd Murphy and Sean Abbott, left after the regular season for Australia’s training camp in Dubai ahead of the Sri Lanka tour.When Sixers won the first of the back-to-back titles in the 2019-2020 season, they had Smith, Nathan Lyon (who is now with Melbourne Renegades) and Josh Hazlewood (currently recovering from injury) available for the finals along with their regular key names.”It’s a really tough one,” Henriques said when asked about the overlapping schedules. “I think the pinnacle of cricket is playing international sport for your country and we’re very proud of the three guys that get selected. That’s obviously not including Starcy and Josh Hazlewood.”That’s a feather in our cap as a squad that they want to play cricket for our team and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I still feel like we’ve got players that can win us the match when they go away.”I said before the last game to the group, even though we only had 12 players, somehow it was still a headache to try and pick 11 because of what I believe to be the quality of this group and the quality of players that we have.”In the 2020-21 final, James Vince produced the match-winning hand of 95 against Perth Scorchers and has remained a regular with the club but left early for the ILT20, as did West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein. The other draft signing was young English legspinner Jafer Chohan who stood out when he came into the side, returning 2 for 28 and 2 for 22 the two finals, conceding just one boundary in each game.”He’s been really impressive,” Henriques said. “He sat patiently waiting for a game. I think through the four matches that he played, I couldn’t remember one bad ball, which, for a wristspinner, is just extraordinary. I think he’s got a big future ahead of him.”

Manchester City star Ruben Dias insisted that he does not care about the newly formed rivalry with Arsenal as the Portuguese defender seeks revenge of the 5-1 loss against the Gunners at Emirates Stadium from last season. Mikel Arteta's side have enjoyed a much superior record against Guardiola's men in recent times as they are unbeaten in their last five head-to-head meetings.

Arsenal and Man City's new formed rivalry

Before Liverpool lifted the Premier League title in the 2024-25 campaign for a record-equalling 20th time, City and Arsenal dominated the title race in back-to-back seasons, and on both occasions, Guardiola's side emerged triumphant. However, when it comes to the two clubs' head-to-head meetings in recent years, it is the Gunners who have reigned supreme, including the 1-1 draw at Etihad Stadium and the 5-1 humbling at Emirates last season. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport"I don't really care about them"

Ahead of the big-ticket encounter in the Premier League, Dias sent out a fiery message as he told reporters: "To be honest, I don't really care about them. I just care about us. All I have to say is what I know from our side. We play games to win for ourselves. For our families, our people. If other people want to play games because of rivalries or whatever feeds them, then go ahead. Be what you want to be.

"We believe in what we do. And we do it for ourselves, our families, our loved ones, our fans and our club. That's the way to be – and that's how you pull off what we pulled off. That's what we believe in – and nothing is bigger in our minds than knowing we have to be the best version of ourselves. It doesn't matter who we are playing against."

He added: "I wouldn't say it's that we have something to prove, it's more that we want to win. We are very aware of what happened last season, and I feel like, in a way, that's a good fear. You know what I mean? Realising some situations where we were, and now being in this position and starting over, knowing everything we need to do not to get ourselves in those positions again."

Man City boosted after derby win

City started their campaign with a 4-0 win over Wolves but then lost their next games against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and were languishing at the bottom half of the league table before the international break. However, after a morale-boosting 3-0 win over Manchester United and then a victory over Italian champions Napoli in the Champions League, Guardiola's side are up and running.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWhat next for Manchester City?

Following their trip to north London on Sunday, City will next travel to Huddersfield to face the League One side in a Carabao Cup third-round clash on Wednesday.

Still on the hunt for reinforcements after confirming the arrival of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Everton have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a Serie A winger.

Latest on Jack Grealish to Everton

After Dewsbury-Hall, Everton seemingly returned straight to the transfer market in an attempt to land further upgrades. And the name that they have since stumbled upon is Jack Grealish. The Manchester City winger desperately needs to leave the Etihad and those at the Hill Dickinson Stadium could now provide him with the perfect opportunity to depart this month.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Everton have offered Manchester City a straight loan for Grealish without an option to buy. It’s a deal that would see them opt out of any mandatory fee, but also one that could see them miss out on a permanent deal for the winger in a frustrating blow if he rediscovered his best form in Merseyside.

Having already signed Dewsbury-Hall, Carlos Alcaraz and Thierno Barry, Grealish’s arrival would likely complete Everton’s much-needed attacking overhaul. Given that both the Chelsea midfielder and the Man City man would be from the Premier League’s top six, too, the Toffees’ summer would suddenly begin to look more and more impressive.

Welcoming Dewsbury-Hall after he put pen to paper, David Moyes told the club’s official website: “We are pleased that Kiernan has chosen to join Everton. He had other clubs interested in signing him but he was excited by the opportunity and the challenge at Everton.”

Everton make first approach to sign Gonzalez

With that said, as their search to complete their attacking overhaul continues, Grealish is not the only name on The Friedkin Group’s list. According to TuttoSport, as relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have now made their first approach to sign Nico Gonzalez from Juventus this summer. The Serie A winger has been granted his exit and it’s now the Toffees and Fulham who have made initial enquiries for his signature.

Like Grealish, the 27-year-old is already thinking about his World Cup place one year in advance and knows that game time will be key to ensuring that he’s in the squad for Argentina’s first defence of the trophy.

Minutes

1,750

721

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

1

Key Passes per 90

0.98

3

When compared, it’s easy to see why Gonzalez has found himself on Everton’s shortlist alongside Grealish. It is, however, also clear that Grealish is the standout option due to his creativity in possession.

He’d be Gueye 2.0: Everton closing in on move for "exciting" £22m star

Everton are looking for plenty more new signings this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 7, 2025

Despite earning praise from manager Igor Tudor for his “strong” desire and “great availability”, Gonzalez’s output compared to the minutes that he played last season do not make for pretty reading. On paper, the Argentine outscored Grealish, but if the latter enjoyed similar game time then it may well have been a different story.