Jack Grealish’s future at Everton has been under the microscope after a difficult few weeks, so could his loan actually be cut short?

The 31-year-old has missed Everton’s last three games now. He was ill for the defeat at Arsenal, then left out of the Carabao Cup win over Newcastle for a breach of club discipline, and was then not fit for Monday’s win at St James’ Park.

Can Everton terminate Jack Grealish’s loan?

It turns out it isn’t as simple as just sending him back. Speaking on The Blue Room EFC podcast, Patrick Boyland of The Athletic explained that it ultimately depends on the deal itself.

“From what I’m told, it depends on the deal, but on average, it’s 50/50 if one’s [a termination clause] included, and it’s normally when it’s mutually beneficial for both clubs,” he said.

Put simply, we don’t know whether Grealish’s loan includes a break clause. But even if it does, ending it would need Manchester City on board.

And Boyland has been told that wouldn’t be straightforward: “Now, it’s being described to me that cancelling this would be complicated, it would be difficult.”

Would Manchester City want Jack Grealish back?

That’s arguably the bigger question, and the answer is probably no. Jack Grealish is reportedly on around £300,000 a week at City, with Everton covering part of that. Taking him back would mean City picking up the full bill again, and finding a way to fit him back into a squad that has already moved on without him.

“If I’m Manchester City… do I want to take Jack Grealish’s wages back when Everton is subsidising them? And also then have to handle him and his reintegration on the training pitch and around the club,” Boyland said. “I think my honest answer there, even just in purely financial terms, would be no.”

What happens next for Jack Grealish at Everton?

So, for now, Grealish is staying put. That also makes it harder to see a January move for Marcus Rashford as his replacement.

Essentially, the ball is in Grealish’s court. Once he’s fit, he’ll have to win his place back, and with Tyrique George doing well on the left at the moment and Everton up to seventh, that won’t happen straight away.

Former manager Frank Lampard brings his Coventry City side to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Friday. Whether Grealish is involved remains to be seen.