Manchester City wide man Jack Grealish could be leaving the Etihad in the next transfer window. A one-time Pep Guardiola favourite while the club was on its 2021 treble-winning trajectory, Grealish now finds himself behind Jeremy Doku and Omar Marmoush in the hierarchy.
He desires more playing time on the field, aiming to earn a place in the national squad. This term, though, he’s appeared just 31 times.
Guardiola’s Remarks
Guardiola acknowledges that he has not spoken to Grealish yet. He confirms talks soon between sporting director Txiki Begiristain, his likely heir Hugo Viana, and Grealish’s representatives. The ultimate call on Grealish’s future will be made after that meeting. Guardiola also empathizes with Grealish’s frustration, referring to it as “reasonable” for a player of his calibre to seek more time.
Discussing another significant shift, Guardiola affirmed Kevin De Bruyne will depart at the season’s conclusion. “There are players who are truly hard to replace, truly, truly hard for lots of reasons,” he explained. De Bruyne will feature in his last home match on Wednesday night against Bournemouth.
Fan Reactions
Supporters are divided. Some feel Grealish won’t miss being there, given his £300k-a-week deal. Another supporter on Reddit quipped, “Grealish should appreciate the 300k per week. (He won’t be seeing that again.)” Others contend Grealish is not suited for Pep’s way and would flourish elsewhere—maybe under Eddie Howe at Newcastle.
Man City set their sights on Bournemouth next. Victory could propel them into third spot in the Premier League standings. Meanwhile, the Etihad says goodbye to Kevin De Bruyne—and possibly Jack Grealish as well.
