Everton star Jack Grealish could be out for several months after sustaining a suspected stress fracture in his foot, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.
The 30-year-old picked up the injury during Sunday’s 1-0 victory at Aston Villa.
He is scheduled to see a specialist in the coming days, after which his prognosis will become clearer.
Grealish joined Everton on loan in the previous Premier League transfer window, with the club having an option to buy in the region of £50 million.
He has been impressive for the Merseyside outfit, featuring in 22 games across all competitions and making eight direct goal contributions.
But the forward faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to his foot injury, putting a spanner in David Moyes’ transfer plans.
Some suggest Grealish may have played his last game for the Blues. But we think the club may still activate the buy clause to sign him permanently in the summer.
The England international was short of confidence after remaining out of favour under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
But he has revived his career after joining the Toffees, as he has established himself as a key first-team player.
Grealish has an amazing relationship with the club’s supporters, who would love to see him play for their team next season.
His impact is clear, and Everton need more players of his quality to achieve their ambitions of securing European football.
The 30-year-old has scored two goals and six assists in 20 Premier League matches.
He has also averaged 1.3 shots, 4.4 ball recoveries, 1.1 tackles and 2.0 key passes per game in the English top-flight.
Only time will tell whether the Merseyside club opt to trigger the buy clause or let him leave at the end of his loan deal.
Stats from Transfermarkt and Sofascore