The Right Shade of Blue

Angus Kinnear has a way with words. The Everton chief executive, discussing Jack Grealish, delivered a line that will have raised a smile or two on both sides of the divide: the midfielder has, in Kinnear's estimation, "fallen in love with the right shade of blue."

It is a phrase that hints at something more than professional admiration. Grealish spent the whole of last season on Merseyside, scoring twice and laying on six assists in 22 appearances before a foot injury in January cut his campaign short. Rather than head back to his parent club to recover, he stayed put and did his rehabilitation at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

"It was no secret that he decided to have his rehabilitation done here for the remainder of last season when he didn't have to do that," Kinnear said. "The most important thing is he's back. He had a very serious injury, he's worked really hard to get back from that."

But Kinnear was careful not to overstep. "He's a player who's fallen in love with the right shade of blue, but ultimately he's a Manchester City player at the moment and we need to respect that."

Back in Sky Blue

That respect was on display in Cardiff on Sunday, when Grealish pulled on the sky blue shirt for the first time since his temporary exit. Introduced at half-time of the Community Shield, he walked into a game that was already drifting away from City, 2-0 down to Arsenal and heading for a 3-0 defeat.

Enzo Maresca, the City manager, offered a measured assessment. "Jack was inside when we were 2-0 down so the game already became complicated after that, but overall I think Jack was good."

The Italian, though, was not about to make promises. "The ones that are still here and want to work every day and if they deserve it, they're going to get minutes," he said. "At the moment, the transfer window is open, and we'll see what happens."

That window shuts on September 1. With a fortnight of it still to run, the decision on Grealish's future rests with Maresca and no one else.

A Career in the Balance

It has been quite a journey since Grealish arrived from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021 for a British record £100 million. In 158 appearances for City he has won three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup, scoring 17 goals along the way. At 30, with his contract in east Manchester due to expire next summer, this feels like a pivotal moment.

Kinnear's comments suggest Everton would gladly have him back. Whether City are willing to let him go — and on what terms — is another matter entirely. For now, the ball is in Maresca's court, and the clock is ticking.