Manager says England international needs fresh start elsewhere to “be the player he was”
Pep Guardiola has said that Jack Grealish may need to leave Manchester City to reignite his career, after the £100m winger was omitted from their Club World Cup squad and granted permission to explore transfers.
The 29-year-old, who has two years remaining on his contract, was left behind as City travelled to the US for this summer’s FIFA competition, following what Guardiola described as “honest” conversations between player and club.
Though not ruling out a potential Etihad stay, the manager openly acknowledged that Grealish needs regular football after two seasons as a peripheral figure for City.
“The fact is in the last two seasons he didn’t play much minutes,” said Guardiola. “He has to come back to play and have the butterflies in his stomach that he can play every three days and show again the quality he has.
“The club was honest, he was honest. We decide the best is to stay behind. He needs a place that he can feel like he can come back to be the player he was in the year of the treble or all his career in Aston Villa.”
While City haven’t received formal offers for the midfielder, several Premier League clubs are monitoring Grealish’s situation. Aston Villa could explore an emotional return. West Ham and Newcastle have also registered their interest, although the finances involved may make a deal difficult to do for those clubs.
Saudi Pro League sides remain an option, as they are among the few clubs that can cover his transfer fee and wages of £300,000 a week.
Guardiola made it clear that a move for the player is not guaranteed.
“We decided not to come here [to the United States],” said Guardiola. “What happens I don’t know in the end. If we don’t find [a club], he’s a player for Man City and he will be back.”
