Everton’s summer acquisition, Jack Grealish, has officially taken the No. 18 shirt as he embarks on a season-long loan from Manchester City—a number laden with history, sentiment, and personal meaning.
The 29-year-old England international, known for his flair and creativity, arrives at Everton hoping to rekindle his form and reignite his England career ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
His choice of number, meantime, evokes two of his boyhood heroes: Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne, both Everton icons who famously donned the No. 18 jersey at Goodison Park.
Grealish, who moved to Manchester City from Aston Villa in 2021 for a then-British record fee of £100 million, found game time limited in the past season, starting only seven Premier League matches under Pep Guardiola.
The loan deal, structured with a £50 million option to buy, offers a fresh start—both for Grealish and for Everton, who are reshaping their squad under manager David Moyes.
Discussing his shirt number, Grealish was candid: “There were other numbers but my two favourite English players ever are Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne and I know they both wore number 18 here. So as soon as I knew this deal was close, I had a look and number 18 was free, so that was perfect for me and it was the only number I was going to take from that point. I spoke to Wayne before I came here … so I hope he’s happy as well.”
This homage not only pays respect to his idols, but ties into Grealish’s own journey—his earlier playing days with Ireland’s under-21s also featured the number 18, creating a full-circle moment in his career.
Grealish expressed unbridled enthusiasm upon his arrival: “I’m over the moon to have signed for Everton—it’s massive for me, honestly. This is a great club, with great fans. As soon as I spoke to the manager, I knew there was only one place that I wanted to go. On social media, I’ve been flooded with messages from Everton supporters … that’s another reason why I chose Everton.”
Manager David Moyes was equally forthright in his expectations: “I think we’re getting him at a good time because he’s experienced, he understands the Premier League, and we’re all fully aware of the levels he’s capable of performing to. I know Jack’s ambition is to get back into the England squad so hopefully we can help him achieve that over the course of the season.”
The No. 18 shirt itself holds storied heritage within the club. Rooney wore it during his teenage breakthrough from 2001 to 2004, following in the footsteps of Gascoigne who sported it briefly from 2000–2001. More recent wearers include Gareth Barry and Ashley Young.