Jack Grealish (foto: Getty Images)
Jack Grealish has reportedly been dropped from Manchester City’s Club World Cup squad after fitness and form struggles. Guardiola has lost patience, suggesting a summer exit is imminent.
Jack Grealish, once the poster boy of English football and Manchester City’s record signing, is facing the harshest setback of his career. Pep Guardiola has reportedly decided to leave the 29-year-old winger out of the squad for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the USA, a move that could signal the end of his time at the Etihad.
Grealish’s journey has been anything but conventional. As a boyhood hero at Aston Villa, he famously wore torn boots through the club’s crucial Premier League promotion campaign, refusing to replace them out of superstition. That loyalty and flair turned him into a cult hero—and soon, the most expensive English transfer in history when City paid €120 million for him in 2021.
However, the fairytale took a turn. Despite winning the treble with City in 2023, off-field issues and inconsistent form plagued his progress. Grealish has long battled alcohol-related headlines—from being found drunk on the street as a teenager in Tenerife to post-celebration hangovers after major titles.
Guardiola addressed Grealish’s situation bluntly: “He has to play continuously, every three days. That didn’t happen last season. If he can do that with us, great. Otherwise, he’ll have to look for other options.”
This week, Sky Sports confirmed that Grealish will not be among the 35 players heading to the USA with City, effectively ruling him out of the Club World Cup and possibly out of Guardiola’s plans altogether.
Last season, Grealish made 32 appearances but played only 1,521 minutes, scoring just three goals—a sharp drop from expectations given his transfer fee and early promise. City are now expected to pursue a new midfielder during the summer transfer window, and Grealish will likely be forced to seek a new club where he can revive his career.