Jack Grealish's future at Manchester City appears increasingly uncertain after he was notably excluded from Pep Guardiola's squad for the upcoming Club World Cup. This omission strongly suggests that the club and the player are potentially heading towards a parting of ways, with Grealish reportedly seeking a move to reignite his career.
The 29-year-old winger, who arrived at the Etihad in 2021 from Aston Villa for a hefty £100 million, has struggled to consistently replicate the form that made him one of the Premier League's most exciting talents. While he has made 157 appearances for City, he has only managed 17 goals, with just one of those coming in the Premier League this season. The arrivals of Jeremy Doku and Claudio Echeverri have further pushed him down the pecking order, limiting his opportunities on the pitch.
Grealish is now reportedly keen on securing a permanent move away from Manchester City in search of regular playing time. His primary goal is to rediscover his best form and stake a claim for a place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the 2026 World Cup. The winger recognizes that consistent minutes are crucial for him to achieve this ambition.
Manchester City are seemingly prepared to cut their losses on Grealish, with reports suggesting they are willing to accept a significantly lower transfer fee than what they initially paid for him. The club are also motivated to offload his substantial £300,000-per-week wage packet. It's believed that City have set their asking price at around £40 million.
Several clubs have been linked with a move for Grealish, including his former team Aston Villa, Newcastle, Everton and West Ham. Serie A side Napoli are also rumored to be interested. Some potential suitors might prefer an initial loan deal due to Grealish's high wages.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have already been active in the transfer market, bringing in new players to refresh their squad after a rare trophyless campaign. Rayan Cherki has joined from Lyon, Tijjani Reijnders has arrived from AC Milan as a replacement for the departing Kevin De Bruyne, Rayan Ait-Nouri has been signed from Wolves ahead of Kyle Walker's anticipated exit, and Marcus Bettinelli has been brought in as a backup goalkeeper. These four transfers are reportedly worth around £107 million in total. The new signings have been included in the Club World Cup squad, with Bettinelli taking the No.13 jersey, Reijnders opting for No.4, Cherki choosing No.29, and Ait-Nouri taking No.21. Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker have also been left out of the Club World Cup squad ahead of their planned departures.
Grealish recently responded to criticism from a fan on Instagram regarding his recent form and his exclusion from the Club World Cup squad. While acknowledging his limited playing time, he sarcastically highlighted his goal contributions, indicating his frustration with the situation. Despite making 32 appearances across all competitions in the 2024-25 season, Grealish only started 16 games, with just seven of those being in the Premier League. He ended the season without a single league start in 2025 and was also left out of the squad for the FA Cup final.
