Jack Grealish has ‘unique set of skills’ that could help England win World Cup… Everton can get him back to his best

JACK GREALISH will be ready to light up Everton’s new £800million stadium with his ‘unique’ set of skills.

Close pal Joleon Lescott has seen first-hand how much the £100million star wants to get back to playing his best football.

Grealish, 29, looks ahead to a new future away from parent club Manchester City this season, with a loan deal with Everton to be announced this week.

The playmaker spent the summer working on his fitness before returning to pre-season training on Monday after Pep Guardiola left him out of his Club World Cup squad and told him he should find a new club.

Everton were front of the queue and agreed to pay a part of his wages on a year-long loan.

Lescott believes Grealish will be central to David Moyes’ creative plans – and can fire himself into World Cup reckoning under Thomas Tuchel.

Former City central defender Lescott said: He added: “I’ve spoken to Jack a couple of times over the summer and he’s fine. He’s a happy person.

“But you could see he was not enjoying his football and that was a frustrating thing as one of his friends. 

“I could see how difficult the final few months of last season were.

“But the most important factor for Jack is to speak to a coach that makes it clear what his role in a team would be.”

Lescott continued: “It’s one thing going through the channels — agents, messages getting to you about what might be possible looking ahead.

“But promises can be made and things may not work out that way.

“When you’re speaking to a manager and they look in your eyes and tell you ‘I want you to do these things’ — that holds a different weight.”

Lescott, who became firm friends with Grealish when the pair were at Aston Villa in 2015-16, is now a pundit, has opened a regenerated football pitch at Bradford Park, close to the Etihad, as part of City in the Community.

Grealish was a British transfer record when he left Aston Villa for City in 2021 and has collected three Premier League titles since, plus a Champions League.

But he has not played for England in almost ten months, since scoring in a 3-1 win over Finland under interim boss Lee Carsley.

He had been ditched from the Euro 2024 squad by Sir Gareth Southgate.

But under new Three Lions boss Tuchel, Lescott believes Grealish can get another chance.

He added: “I know a lot of players like working for Tuchel.

“And Jack is the kind of player he’d want to finally get England over the line and win the World Cup because he has a unique set of skills.

“Few players have what Jack has — the ability to dribble in the centre of midfield and by-pass even the best systems.

“He has qualities that a lot of managers would admire and Jack still has what it takes to make himself crucial to the England cause.

“So hopefully he does have that chance to be playing for England next summer.”

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