Former Everton striker Tony Cottee has called on the club to re-sign Jack Grealish and also make a move for Liam Delap, saying the latter is "the type of centre-forward that the Evertonians would love."
Grealish's Impact at Everton
Grealish impressed during his time on Merseyside, earning his first Premier League Player of the Month award in the week of his 30th birthday after providing four assists in his first two starts. He also scored Hill Dickinson Stadium's first stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 comeback victory over Crystal Palace and helped Everton secure their first Premier League win at Bournemouth.
However, after a 1-0 win at Aston Villa on January 18, it was revealed that Grealish had suffered a stress fracture in his left foot, requiring surgery. Despite this, video footage from the club's end-of-season awards showed him leading chants of "One more year, Jackie Grealish, playing football the Everton way."
Cottee's Verdict on Grealish
Cottee told the ECHO: "They've got to sign Jack Grealish, haven't they? I've always loved watching Jack, he's a phenomenal player. There aren't too many players these days who get me genuinely excited like that. When you get someone who can do things on the ball like him, they're a rare talent."
He added: "It's such a shame that he got the injury back in January and then didn't play for the rest of the season. People will talk about the money with his wages but he'll sell a lot of shirts too with his name on them. I know that's not why you choose to sign a player, but for me it makes sense. He's a top player and by all accounts, he's also a great lad."
Cottee believes Grealish's future lies away from Manchester City: "I don't think he's going to play at Manchester City with the options they have now, so I'd love to see him come back to Everton. I think it's time for him to move on, he's 31 next month, so it will probably be his last big move."
Delap as a Target
With Beto struggling in Everton's 3-1 defeat at Stuttgart, Cottee, who scored 99 goals for the Blues in 241 appearances, thinks David Moyes should pursue Liam Delap. Everton tried to sign Delap before he joined Chelsea last year and have been linked again this summer.
Cottee said: "I think Liam would be a good signing for the club, I really do. Chelsea have got a huge squad and they're shipping players out. It hasn't worked for him at Chelsea. He did well at Ipswich but maybe it was just a step too far for him?"
He continued: "I think he's the type of centre-forward that the Evertonians would love. He's all-action, he runs around, he's physical. When he's got confidence, he can score goals. We know that."
Cottee also suggested that Everton could strengthen significantly: "Having signed Christian Norgaard, if Everton can get a right-back in and sign Jack and Liam, I think you're talking about a really strong starting 11 that can push on from last season. Although it was a good season, given the way it ended and faded away, it became disappointing. They should have got into Europe."
