Jack Grealish faces Everton uncertainty as Noa Lang interest grows

Jack Grealish’s future at Everton is becoming increasingly uncertain, with the club now exploring alternatives on the left flank as doubts grow over whether his loan spell will convert into a permanent move.

When Grealish arrived from Manchester City last summer, optimism was high. His early impact justified that excitement, highlighted by a Premier League Player of the Month award in August after registering four assists in quick succession. At that stage, Everton appeared to have secured a marquee addition capable of lifting both performance level and belief.

Since then, momentum has faded.

Now 30, Grealish has struggled to impose himself consistently in a side battling for stability. Two goals and two assists in the months following his electric start have not matched expectations, particularly given the responsibility placed on him as one of the squad’s most experienced and decorated players.

David Moyes was delighted with Everton’s summer business under the Friedkin ownership, and Grealish’s arrival was central to that optimism. However, as Everton’s form has dipped, scrutiny has inevitably followed.

The Toffees’ lack of cutting edge has sharpened focus on wide attackers, and Grealish’s modest return has raised questions about whether he remains undroppable.

According to Italian outlet Il Mattino, Everton are among several Premier League clubs monitoring Noa Lang. The Dutch winger joined Napoli for around £24m and could be available this month if the Serie A champions decide to reshuffle their attacking options.

Interest is not limited to Everton, with Sunderland, Leeds United and Fulham also credited with tracking Lang’s situation. For Everton, however, the interest is particularly telling.

While Moyes is prioritising the signing of a striker in January, the left side of Everton’s attack has been identified internally as an area lacking goals. The imminent return of Iliman Ndiaye from AFCON will help, but it may not be enough on its own.

Recent weeks have only intensified the pressure on Grealish. Everton’s injury-hit squad has struggled through a damaging run, and these were precisely the moments when his pedigree was expected to show.

Instead, Grealish was sent off against Wolverhampton Wanderers, ruling him out of Everton’s FA Cup defeat days later. While his overall tally of eight goal involvements is respectable on paper, it has not translated into decisive influence during critical spells.

Everton hold a reported £50m option to buy Grealish permanently. Based on current evidence, that figure looks increasingly unrealistic for the Friedkin group to sanction.

Everton’s January window is likely to prioritise a striker, but movement on the wings cannot be ruled out. Any concrete approach for Noa Lang would place further pressure on Grealish to rediscover form quickly. Failing that, attention will turn to the summer, when Everton must decide whether to move on from a high-profile but costly loan experiment.

Has Jack Grealish done enough to justify a permanent Everton move, or should the club look ahead to a younger, more decisive option like Noa Lang?