Jack Grealish dropped by Everton: one missed training session and a contract that expires in months

Everton have made an example of Jack Grealish, and the timing could hardly be worse for a player whose Manchester City contract runs out at the end of this season. The 31-year-old was left out of the squad for the Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle United after missing Monday’s training session without permission.

The club chose to announce the reason itself. Alongside its team news on X, Everton said Grealish was “unavailable for selection due to a breach of club discipline.” Clubs usually pass off such absences as tactical or leave them unexplained, so the public statement signalled how seriously Everton took the lapse.

How the Jack Grealish decision was made

According to the Guardian, the decision was taken by manager David Moyes together with chief executive Angus Kinnear. BBC Sport reports it was made at a high level within the club, with Moyes’s full support. Grealish is expected to be fined. He has since returned to training at Finch Farm and has held talks with club officials.

Moyes would not elaborate after the match. “It’s a club decision and I support it,” he said, before talking about Everton’s values and the humility of his side. He did not name Grealish in those remarks, but the message was hard to miss. The Independent noted that Moyes named two goalkeepers among the substitutes rather than a spare outfield player.

A loan that has yet to catch fire

The episode lands on an already uneven season. Grealish rejoined Everton on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day, arriving in a white Lamborghini and greeting fans until the early hours. Moyes had only 18 senior players after a troubled window, and the signing was meant to be a lift. Everton reportedly paid about £12m in total for last season’s loan and are paying a similar sum this time.

The Independent reports Grealish has made six appearances without scoring. He started four successive games before missing the weekend defeat at Arsenal through illness. He was expected back against Newcastle, but the training-ground absence ruled that out.

Everton coped without him

Everton won 3-1, and BBC Sport described it as arguably their best display of the season. The left flank, where Grealish might have played, went to 20-year-old Tyrique George, whose more direct approach suited the performance. The win sets up a quarter-final at League Two Fleetwood Town, who knocked out Arsenal in the previous round.

That success complicates Grealish’s route back. Moyes is short of options and cannot afford to cast out a player who can change a game, and BBC Sport says Everton do not see this as a “last chance saloon” moment. But the team has shown it can win without him.

What comes next for Jack Grealish

BBC Sport says there have been occasional time-keeping issues before, but nothing on this scale, and that he is generally seen as a hard trainer who looks after himself. He remains popular with supporters, who see him as one of their own. Britain’s first £100m footballer when he joined City from Aston Villa in 2021, and a key member of City’s 2023 Treble-winning side, he is now trying to rebuild a career that has slowed since.

With his deal at City ending and Everton’s patience tested, the coming weeks matter. Jack Grealish needs to show Moyes and the fans that Monday was a one-off, and that the talent still on show in flashes can become consistent contributions.

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