Jack Grealish spoke to Sunderland goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler during an uncertain summer before eventually securing the return to Everton that he had wanted.
The Athletic reports that the Everton winger spoke to Cutler, who had previously worked with him at Aston Villa, with the conversation prompting Sunderland to register their interest in a late loan deal.
Grealish had other options. According to the same report, clubs in Italy and Turkey had shown interest, while Villa sounded out his camp about a possible return to his boyhood club.
Everton were waiting for movement within their own squad and positive reports on Grealish’s recovery from the serious foot injury which required surgery in January.
It left the 31-year-old in limbo after his original Everton loan expired on July 1. He returned to Manchester City, continued working his way back to fitness and later described that period as a “real struggle”.
Grealish spent time working on his fitness in Mallorca before making a surprise appearance in City’s Community Shield defeat to Arsenal. Sunderland subsequently made a loan bid, but Everton remained his preferred destination.
The Blues eventually moved following Iliman Ndiaye’s £65m transfer to City and Grealish returned to Merseyside on deadline day for a second season-long loan.
“My missus said to someone the day before, ‘Everton was always in his mind to go back there’,” Grealish said after completing the move.
“And it was.”
After a summer containing Sunderland interest, a possible Villa homecoming and attention from overseas, Grealish ultimately ended up exactly where he wanted to be.
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