Credit: Imago

Chris Smith

Thu 31 July 2025 9:21, UK

Everton have endured a miserable pre-season so far, and on Wednesday night, it got a whole lot worse.

The Toffees went into their Premier League Summer Series fixture against West Ham United in Chicago without a win in three previous friendly encounters this summer.

David Moyes’ side kicked off with a 1-1 draw against Accrington Stanley, before losing to Blackburn Rovers and Bournemouth by a 4-0 combined scoreline.

Everton did take the lead in the 17th minute against West Ham through Idrissa Gana Gueye, but goals from Lucas Paqueta and Niclas Fullkrug sealed another summer defeat — and it’s safe to say supporters are worried.

Everton fans fume at latest defeat

Everton have spent the last four seasons battling at the wrong end of the Premier League table, with last season’s finish of 13th their highest since coming 10th under Carlo Ancelotti in 2020/21.

That’s not the standard expected from supporters, who had previously watched their club consistently challenge for European places — while they’re also desperate to end their 30-year trophy drought.

Everton posted on X following their defeat, talking about ‘more valuable minutes for the Blues’, despite the result.

The club’s fans, however, took a very different view.

Everton tipped to land Jack Grealish

Evertonians desperately want to see some more players through the door, with striker Thierno Barry the only realistic starter they’ve signed so far — alongside back-up goalkeeper Mark Travers and teenage left-back Adam Aznou. They also made Carlos Alcaraz’s loan permanent.

Jack Grealish is one name being thrown around regularly by supporters this summer, and it at least looks like the Toffees have hope on that front.

The club’s former chief, Keith Wyness, has exclusively told Football Insider that ‘there is a good chance’ Everton will agree a loan deal for Grealish — though it certainly won’t come cheap, with Man City driving a hard bargain.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I think there’s a good chance that this one gets done now.

“Of course, the stumbling block will be the money at £300k a week. It’s not going to be an Everton situation like that, but we’re seeing more deals that are coming out in a formula of a higher loan fee, and then that helps the club contribute to the wages. I think that could be something that could get done.

“For Jack, you could see something even between £5m and £10m for a loan fee, which would be a lot, but then again, for a season of Jack Grealish, it’d be worth it.

“At a £10m loan fee, with City contributing two-thirds of his wages, then it starts to make sense for both parties. If the player’s happy to go, which is gonna be the key here, and I think he may be, it could get it done.”

This certainly won’t be the final piece of the puzzle, with Moyes needing extra bodies in multiple positions.

However, wide areas have been an issue for Everton for a number of years now and signing someone of Grealish’s calibre would serve as a massive upgrade — not to mention a valuable ticking off of Moyes’ to-do list.