Jack Grealish: After expected Man City exit, which club could midfielder sign for?
Grealish’s future at City is an issue that has never really gone away since a mixed debut season in sky blue.
His second season silenced the critics, but in his third he looked a shadow of himself.
Grealish’s fourth campaign ended with him being left out of City’s matchday squad for their final, must-win Premier League game.
The signing of midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, and City being linked with playmaker Rayan Cherki, suggest Grealish’s time is up.
And the England international is expected to be left out of City’s squad for the Fifa Club World Cup in the United States later this month, an admission from both parties that it is time to part ways.
It should be noted Guardiola and the City board still love Grealish, as much for his attitude and popularity within the squad, as his quality on the pitch.
But there is now a consensus that this is the right time to move on, particularly given Guardiola has said he wants a smaller squad next term.
Grealish is in agreement. After a difficult season on and off the field, he believes it would be best for him to focus on his future and find a new club.
That raises the question of where Grealish – who has two years remaining on his contract – could go next.
The player is open to all options, though of course he has preferences.
Grealish wants a clean break and a permanent new home – rather than a loan move, a route taken by the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho last season.
City would sanction a loan, although they’d prefer to sell in order to get Grealish’s wages off the books and recoup part of the £100m fee they shelled out. They accept they will get nowhere near what they paid for him.
Grealish would of course be open to staying in the Premier League, with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle, Everton and former club Villa all linked with him.
He wants to keep playing at the highest level possible, ideally in the Champions League, which Newcastle and Spurs can provide next season.
Grealish also wouldn’t rule out a move to the continent – Barcelona, AC Milan and Napoli have all been mentioned, although the former’s initial interest has now waned. Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan would seem potential options too.
The last resort would be a move to Saudi Arabia. Such a switch would lead to many suggesting his career is on the decline and questioning his England future. That said, Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney received a recall from England manager Thomas Tuchel last month.