Everton CEO Angus Kinnear has revealed the club have maintained ongoing communication with Jack Grealish, fuelling speculation that the Manchester City playmaker could return to Merseyside for the 2026-27 season.

Grealish, who fell out of favour under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, joined David Moyes' Everton on a season-long loan and made an immediate impact at Goodison Park. The 30-year-old registered 22 appearances across all competitions for the Toffees, contributing two goals and six assists — more than any other Everton player at that stage of the campaign.

His influence was particularly striking in the creative department. Despite featuring in only 20 Premier League games for Everton, Grealish created 36 chances from open play across the entire campaign, while only James Garner (56) created more chances overall than his total of 38.

However, Grealish's season was derailed in January when he sustained a foot injury requiring surgery, cutting short what had been a productive spell on Merseyside.

Kinnear: "He's Fallen in Love With the Right Shade of Blue"

Speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside, Kinnear stopped short of confirming a deal but left the door firmly open for a potential reunion.

"Jack is a player we've remained in contact with," Kinnear said. "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."

"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."

"The most important thing is he's back. He had a very serious injury, he's worked really hard to get back from that."

Grealish was a half-time substitute during Manchester City's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in last week's Community Shield, indicating he is edging closer to full fitness.

Moyes Plays It Coy

Everton manager David Moyes was markedly more reserved when pressed on whether negotiations were progressing.

"No, not at the moment," Moyes said when asked if anything was moving forward. "It's not for me to talk about. Jack is a player at Man City and I don't think it's right to talk about players from other clubs."

While Moyes' comments suggest no deal is imminent, Kinnear's openness about the ongoing contact will give Everton supporters hope that a reunion could materialise — particularly if Grealish finds first-team opportunities limited at City once again.