Jack Grealish shares three-word message from the gym ahead of Man City exit
Jack Grealish’s complete absence from the Club World Cup has allowed him to get a head-start on pre-season at Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola‘s side ended their campaign with a surprise 4-3 defeat to Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal in the last 16 of FIFA’s revamped summer tournament, bringing a close to a disappointing season overall.
Man City therefore go an entire season without silverware for the first time since 2016–17, with an earlier than expected exit despite spending £155million on new signings before the Club World Cup kicked off.
Grealish was entirely absent from Man City’s Club World Cup squad in the clearest indication yet that his future lies away from the Etihad Stadium, but the winger is yet to find a new club ahead of pre-season.
Grealish gets pre-season head start away from Man City
Man City‘s 2024–25 campaign began all the way back on 23 July 2024 with their first pre-season friendly against Celtic, and only ended on 30 June 2025 with that 4-3 defeat to Al-Hilal in Orlando.
Few clubs’ seasons contain competitive matches across an almost 12-month period, and as a result City’s players are set to return for pre-season training later than their Premier League counterparts.
However, Grealish’s absence from City’s Club World Cup campaign has already given him a period to recharge over the summer, and the 29-year-old is already back in training ahead of the new campaign.
Grealish posted on his Instagram story (7 July) from the interior of a gym he seemingly had to himself, and added the caption of: “Let’s get it”.
Grealish gets additional time to fast-track Man City exit
Football Insider Verdict
Although Grealish’s early return for pre-season could be interpreted as the England forward showing an intention to fight for his Man City place, Guardiola’s Club World Cup snubbing was surely the final straw.
Napoli and Everton are two of several clubs linked with a move for Grealish this summer, but his sizeable Man City wages could prove a stumbling block for any deal done with Everton given their financial woes.
Money may be an issue for any club interested in signing Grealish, but his off-season preparations for a potential move away from Man City shows that he’s ready to hit the ground running for whichever club signs him.