City outcast looks to reignite ‘spluttering’ career; new twist in ‘toxic situation’ — Transfer Latest

Deadline day is not until September 1, but with pre-season friendlies wrapping up and the season proper about the kick off, clubs and players are eager to get moves finalised.

The most high profile of which in recent days has been the departure of a Manchester City forward on loan to Everton after falling out of favour in recent times.

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Fresh off winning the Community Shield in the traditional curtain raiser to the season, Crystal Palace received a mighty kick in the teeth that has rivals circling two of their stars.

Plus Newcastle manager Eddie Howe spoke on the soap opera surrounding his star striker’s attempts to join the champions.

Scroll down for the biggest news EPL transfer news!

GREALISH LOAN MOVE SECURED

Manchester City winger Jack Grealish has agreed to join Everton on loan for the 2025-26 season, according to reports on Monday.

Grealish fell out of favour with City boss Pep Guardiola last season and made just seven starts in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old was left out of City’s squad for the Club World Cup in the United States amid speculation that he was set to leave the Etihad Stadium.

Everton have now agreed a deal for Grealish, who earns a reported £300,000 (A$618,470) per week, ahead of the new Premier League campaign, which starts for the Toffees at Leeds on August 18.

The England international joined City from Aston Villa in 2021 for a then British record fee of £100 million (A$206m).

Grealish has won three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup with City, but his form had dipped significantly since he played a key role in the 2022-23 treble-winning campaign.

He was left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad, an omission that left him “heartbroken”.

Guardiola rarely picked Grealish last season despite City’s struggles and he was left on the bench for the shock FA Cup final defeat against Crystal Palace.

If Grealish passes a medical and completes his move to Everton, the winger will have a chance to revive his spluttering career and potentially earn a recall to the England squad ahead of next year’s World Cup.

Everton recently left Goodison Park to move into their new Hill Dickenson stadium ahead of the season, with Grealish set to take centre stage in the plush arena.

He will rank as Everton’s biggest signing since the end of last season after a quiet summer in the transfer market for boss David Moyes.

To replace Grealish in attack, City are weighing up a move for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, according to football journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Madrid are believed to be willing to let the Brazil international depart for a fee of around €100m (A$178.3m).

The potential arrival of Rodrygo would also cover for the impending loss of James McAtee, who is set for a move to Nottingham Forest.

City and Forest are yet to agree on a fee for McAtee, but Sky Sports News has been told the bosses at the Etihad will want more than £20m (A$41.2m) for the academy graduate.

RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund remain interested in the 22-year-old forward and are monitoring the situation.

ISAK ‘INCREASINGLY LIKELY’ TO STAY

Alexander Isak’s potential move to Liverpool from Newcastle United has been a bit of a soap opera for the Magpies, but Sky Sports believes the star striker is set to remain at St James’ Park.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said after their 2-0 pre-season defeat at home to Atletico Madrid on Sunday that he wants Isak to remain at the club, as long as he wants to be there.

Sky Sports News’ Keith Downie reported that it is growing less likely that Isak will have a choice, in this transfer window at least.

“It’s becoming a bit of a toxic situation, not what Newcastle want ahead of the new season,” Downie said.

“Eddie Howe says he doesn’t see it changing ahead of the trip to Villa Park next weekend.

“I don’t think we’re going to see anything definitive to this situation until the transfer window is closed.

“Liverpool have made one bid which was flatly rejected, and Newcastle will only allow him to leave if they receive a huge offer they can’t refuse – and then, only if they can get a ready-made replacement.

“It feels like the options for Newcastle are very thin on the ground after they missed out on Benjamin Sesko, so I think as the days go on it’s becoming increasingly likely Isak remains a Newcastle player this window.

“A lot of bridges are going to have to be mended, because the Newcastle fans are not happy with what they’ve seen from Isak’s conduct in the last couple of weeks.”

Kieran Trippier could be on the way out of Newcastle however, with AS Monaco interested in signing the 34-year-old defender, according to Sky Sports.

Howe does not want to lose the England international, but with one year left to run on his contract, a deal may be struck.

PALACE EUROPA BLOW COULD TRIGGER TRANSFER DOMINO

Crystal Palace’s appeal over their demotion from the Europa League to the UEFA Conference League was rejected Monday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The London club, who won last season’s FA Cup, fell foul of UEFA’s rules governing multi-club ownership.

European football’s governing body determined that as of March 1, American businessman John Textor had control or influence in Palace and French club Lyon.

It means under UEFA rules they are unable to compete in the same European competition and Lyon held on to the Europa League spot by virtue of their higher league position.

Palace appealed to CAS last month after Textor agreed to sell his 43 percent stake in the Premier League club to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson.

However, that deal was struck well after UEFA’s deadline of March 1 for multi-club conflicts to be resolved.

“After considering the evidence, the Panel found that John Textor, founder of Eagle Football Holdings, had shares in CPFC and OL and was a Board member with decisive influence over both clubs at the time of UEFA’s assessment date,” CAS said in a statement.

“The Panel considered that the UEFA Regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date, as CPFC claimed.”

Palace, who beat Liverpool on penalties to win the Community Shield after a 2-2 draw at Wembley on Sunday, will enter the UEFA Conference League in the play-off round later this month.

Nottingham Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League, are set to replace Palace in the second-tier Europa League.

The demotion could also prove to be a significant blow to Palace’s hopes of keeping forward Eberechi Eze as well as defender and captain Marc Guehi, who have been linked with Tottenham and Liverpool respectively.

“I think in the end, people trade players. That’s what football clubs do,” Palace chairman Steve Parish said.

“If you just don’t care about reinvigorating the team, you don’t care about tomorrow, ever, you just put it all off.

“Then, we’re a fantastic team, you know and if we had four more players, I don’t know what we could achieve but unfortunately it’s not always as simple as that.”

Parish said there were “crazy” and “just nuts” fees being paid for players this year.

“We’ll have to see,” added the chairman. “We’ll do whatever we can. We won’t stop working and we will do whatever we can.

“But as far as people being here or not being here, it depends. If it’s the right decision for the football club and for them, nobody can make anyone go, then there will be some changes, but you’ve got to make smart ones.”

SPURS HIT ROAD BLOCKS

Tottenham are facing a few hurdles in their pursuit of new attacking options to fill the voids left by departed former club captain Heung-min Son, who made his debut for LAFC in recent days, and James Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury during a pre-season friendly against Newcastle in South Korea.

Spurs are hoping that Crystal Palace’s Europa League demotion may help their pursuit of Eberechi Eze.

The winger reportedly has a £68m release clause in his contract, but The Daily Mail said that expires at some point this month – creating a potential race against time to get a deal done before his price increases.

Tottenham are also interested in Manchester City’s Savinho, while they have also been linked with the seemingly Nottingham Forest bound City academy product James McAtee.

But Spurs have reportedly hit a roadblock over the Brazilian.

“Manchester City are not interested in selling Savinho, and it would take a huge offer from Tottenham for them to consider letting him go,” Sky Sports News’ Ben Ransom reported.

“Any recruitment of wide forwards in the final three weeks of the window is contingent on Savinho leaving.

“Reports that his exit is imminent are believed to be premature.”

MAN UTD SET TO SWOOP?

Manchester United have been interested in prying goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma out of PSG, and their chances of securing the Italian may have just received a major boost.

“PSG have omitted keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from their squad to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Super Cup on Wednesday,” Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth reported.

“PSG announced the signing of keeper Lucas Chevalier from Lille today which throws Donnarumma’s future at PSG into major doubt.

“Sky Sports News has been told the Italy goalkeeper will only leave if a project is seen as the right fit – and he won’t be forced out.

“Manchester United are understood to have kept an eye on his situation earlier in the window amid doubts over Andre Onana’s future.

“However, Onana has now returned to training and – as it stands – is expected to stay.

“At least two other Premier League clubs have explored the conditions of a potential deal via intermediaries.

“Donnarumma has entered the final year of his contract at PSG.”

Despite The Daily Mail linking outgoing United forward Rasmus Hojlund with a move to Chelsea, the Dane is reportedly open to joining AC Milan, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Sky Sports News also understands AC Milan are in talks with Man Utd over signing the Denmark international.

The Italian giants want to gain Hojlund’s services via a loan deal with an option to buy.

United’s preference is to do a permanent deal – or at least have a permanent element attached to any loan – and they would reportedly consider offers of around £40m (A$82.4m).

Hojlund was already on the outer before the arrival of Benjamin Sesko and he was an unused substitute in United’s pre-season friendly against Fiorentina on Saturday.

BOURNEMOUTH DEFENDER MAKES PSG MOVE

PSG and Bournemouth have a total agreement in place for the sale of defender Illia Zabarnyi, according to Sky Sports.

The deal is worth £54.5m (A$112.3m) guaranteed with add-ons.

The Ukrainian defender is now free to discuss personal terms after arriving in Paris for his medical on Sunday.

Bournemouth were reluctant to sell, but the player expressed his desire to join PSG.

Zabarnyi’s replacement, Bafode Diakite is set to finalise his move from Lille to Bournemouth in the coming days.