Published Aug 31, 2026, 7:10 PM GMT+1

David Moyes has cut a frustrated figure at times in the build-up to the 2026/27 season, with The Friedkin Group perhaps failing to match the ambition felt on the field at the Hill Dickinson.

But this has been a promising start to the term, and with Armstrong staying put, the Toffees are also targeting a late flurry of signings to ensure Moyes has all he needs to try and close the gap on the European contenders in the Premier League.

One of which would be the return of Jack Grealish to the Hill Dickinson.

Why Grealish could be a game-changer for Everton

Grealish showed last season the kind of unique creative quality that he can unleash on the Premier League in an Everton shirt. Four assists over a few fixtures to kick off his loan spell at the club saw him anointed as the division's Player of the Month for August.

Injury ended his time on the pitch early, cruelly early, but Grealish had notched two goals and six assists before that January setback, creating two chances and winning 5.3 duels on average each game. From the left, he was Everton's focal playmaking influence; much flowed through him.

Iliman Ndiaye is leaving Everton and set to join Tottenham Hotspur, with Richarlison heading home. But Grealish can be the one who pulls the strings and offers the Merseysiders something singular in attack.

Welcoming him back to the fold would prove a big boost for Moyes' side, but they will need more by way of flair and progressiveness now that Ndiaye has headed off to the capital.

The window is still open for one more day, and the Toffees have their sights set on an attacking midfielder who plays with a bit of Grealish and Ndiaye in his game.

How Everton can sign a mix of Grealish & Ndiaye

The sale of Ndiaye to Tottenham will sting for a while, not least because the Senegalese star has been Everton's star forward over the past two years.

However, if TFG manage to sign Matias Soule from Roma before the transfer deadline, Everton could be in the money. According to TEAMtalk, the Toffees are among a host of clubs interested in signing the Argentine playmaker, with Newcastle and Sunderland also neck-and-neck in pursuit.

It's looking increasingly likely that the 23-year-old will sign for a new club before the transfer deadline; can Everton steal ahead of their rivals and land the perfect Ndiaye heir for a £30m fee.

Across two years in Rome, Soule hasn't quite captured the remarkable form that saw him rise to the fore with Frosinone. He scored 11 Serie A goals across that loan spell as a Juventus cadet.

Now, Soule is ready to draw the curtain on his time in Italy and move to the Premier League, where his blend of physicality, creativity and talismanic potential could prove the perfect tonic for an Everton side in transition.

His elegant, fleet-footed dribbling offers something of Ndiaye when barrelling down the wing with the ball at his feet. But like Grealish, he is not quite so speedy, instead reliant on his technicality and the ability to make it appear as if the ball is attached to a piece of string. Talent scout Jacek Kulig has already singled out his "superb dribbling skills".

Last year wasn't the best representation of his ability, but Soule has it in his locker. When at Frosinone, he completed 2.94 dribbles per game in Serie A, ranking among the top 6% of players for that metric.

Left-footed, he could even prove the kind of prolific outlet that Ndiaye proved to be for the Everton persuasion. Soule has only scored nine league goals across two terms for Roma, but in that timeframe, he has missed just six big chances, showcasing a similar cutting edge to Ndiaye b

If Everton sign Soule, they will add a sensation of bona fide quality, someone who can bridge that gap on those ahead in the Premier League, handing Moyes the flair and the potency to help offset Ndiaye's departure and hand Grealish his perfect partner - someone who could end up replacing the Three Lions man too down the line.