‘Man City sabotage themselves’ with surprise Jack Grealish transfer decision
Manchester City may struggle to offload Jack Grealish this summer after Pep Guardiola made a new decision on his future.
Guardiola is almost at the end of his worst campaign since taking charge of Man City, and could yet finish outside the top three of any top-tier European league for the very first time in his managerial career.
City did reach their third straight FA Cup Final with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, but Guardiola has maintained that a seventh domestic cup success would not mask their poor season.
With Kevin De Bruyne’s departure from the Etihad Stadium already confirmed, Guardiola and City are set for a transformational transfer window, yet the Spaniard is less keen to offload one out-of-form player.
Jack Grealish transfer decision made at Man City
City were on top for much of their FA Cup semi-final thanks to Rico Lewis’ early goal, but one player who failed to impress fans online was Grealish, before he was substituted midway through the second half.
Grealish is seen as “finished” in the eyes of several City supporters after his latest below-par display, but the England international looks set to remain in Guardiola’s long-term plans despite his recent poor form.
| Player | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Games Missed/Benched |
| Jack Grealish | 31 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
TalkSPORT reported on 29 April that City will not sanction a loan move for Grealish this summer amid interest from Tottenham and Aston Villa, with the 29-year-old seen as a “senior” dressing-room figure.
City are well aware that the £100million they paid Villa to sign Grealish back in 2021 is a fee they won’t be able to recoup, and while their number 10 is “settled” in the North West, they’ll only allow him to leave on a permanent deal.
Jack Grealish transfer a no-brainer for Man City
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider in February that City plan to make five “top-class” signings this summer, but those additions will need to be facilitated by further departures.
Brown told Football Insider last December that Guardiola is “concerned” with Grealish’s fall-off in form this season, but Man City’s adamant transfer stance will rule clubs aplenty out of the race to sign him.
North West-based clubs such as a newly-monied Everton would jump at the chance to sign Grealish on loan, but with Grealish and other City players set to dominate the summer transfer headlines, it remains to be seen if their position will change on a temporary transfer.