Everton Sound Out Ex-City Playmaker: Should They Chase Him In January?

Everton Sound Out Ex-City Playmaker: Should They Chase Him In January? Everton enter a demanding November in better shape than many expected. David Moyes’ side sit sixth after 10 games with 16 points, having beaten Newcastle 1-0 away and Coventry City 3-1 at home within a week. Thierno Barry leads the scoring with six league goals, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who scored against Coventry, keeps supplying the attack from midfield. Creativity still decides how far that form carries them. Everton have scored 12 league goals in 10 matches, a modest return; however, the table looks healthy, and Moyes said before the Coventry game that he has no plans for January. Jack Grealish complicates that position. Reports say his loan will end early when the window opens, which would strip Moyes of his most inventive passer in the middle of the season. Everton have conceded only 10 league goals, so Moyes’ concern sits at the other end. Brentford away on November 23 precedes a home derby against Liverpool six days later, and Dewsbury-Hall already carries much of the creative load. Any change to Grealish’s status therefore matters, and it explains why a surprising report from Italy is attracting attention. A surprise report from Italy PORTO, PORTUGAL – NOVEMBER 04: Kevin De Bruyne of SSC Napoli reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD4 match between FC Porto and SSC Napoli at Estadio do Dragao on November 04, 2026 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Diogo Cardoso/Getty Images) Sport Witness , citing Italian outlet Calciomercato.it, says Everton are considering a sensational January move for Kevin De Bruyne, the 35-year-old Belgian who joined Napoli on a free transfer from Manchester City in June 2025. The Italian outlet claims Everton have made initial contact with his representatives to test the real chance of a deal, and that he would welcome a Premier League return. Everton have confirmed nothing. De Bruyne’s contract runs to June 2027, so Napoli could refuse to sell mid-season and push talks to the summer. The club sit 10th in Serie A, lost 4-1 at Porto last Wednesday, and Il Mattino reports dressing-room tension involving De Bruyne. His wage of about £5m a year, the highest at the club, could soften their stance. Should Everton pursue Kevin De Bruyne in January? No, not as a priority. His passing would give Barry efficient service, and four goals in 11 Serie A games prove the quality survives. But at 35 he no longer suits the relentless pressing and covering that Moyes demands from midfielders, and any fee plus that wage for a deal ending in 2027 buys a specialist, not a replacement for Grealish. Everton would do better to find a younger creator who suits their system. Six starts in those 11 games show how Napoli, who know him best, use him.