Manchester City star Jack Grealish set to leave after shock Club World Cup snub

Jack Grealish’s time at Manchester City appears to be nearing an end. Expected to left off the squad list for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, the England international is now reportedly seeking a move away from the Etihad.

Grealish’s fall from grace at Manchester City

It’s been a steep fall for the $130 million man - roughly what City paid Aston Villa for him four years ago. Grealish started just seven Premier League games last season and didn’t even feature in the FA Cup final. In a match where City needed a spark, Pep Guardiola turned to 18-year-old Argentinian prospect Claudio Echeverri instead. Grealish remained glued to the bench.

Now, according to The Telegraph, the 29-year-old winger won’t be joining the rest of the squad for the Club World Cup in the U.S. City, meanwhile, is closing in on new signings, with Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki set to arrive for a combined fee north of $108 million. Nothing has been made official yet - and no formal bids have been made for Grealish either.

Grealish, who turns 30 later this summer, is still hoping to be part of England’s plans for next year’s World Cup. But to stay on Thomas Tuchel’s radar, he’ll need regular minutes, which he’s struggled to find in Manchester. Both the player and the club are reportedly on the same page: it’s time for a change. Leaving him out of the Club World Cup squad is the first step.

Multiple Premier League clubs are said to be monitoring his situation.

Guardiola: “Incredible player” Grealish “has to play”

Guardiola left Grealish out of the squad for City’s Premier League finale and didn’t shy away from addressing the situation. The Catalan coach admitted he hadn’t given Grealish enough chances over the past two seasons. A key figure during City’s historic treble-winning campaign in 2022–23, when they lifted the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, Grealish made just 10 league starts that year. This season, that number dropped to seven.

“He absolutely has to play,” Guardiola told reporters. “He’s an incredible player, and he needs to be on the field every three days. That didn’t happen this season. It didn’t happen last season either. But it needs to. If not here, then somewhere else.”

Grealish’s eye-watering Man City salary

The biggest obstacle to a permanent transfer? His massive salary - over $375,000 a week - and that $130 million price tag from 2021. A loan move could be more realistic.

Marcus Rashford, facing a similar crossroads at Manchester United, revitalized his England hopes with a loan spell under Unai Emery at Aston Villa. Grealish could be hoping for a similar path back to the top.

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