Another Englishman back in Manchester might be thinking, “What if?,” as Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid take against Harry Kane and Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night.
Manchester City’s Champions League quarterfinal loss to the Spanish powerhouses has forced them to take more time to reflect as they approach the last month of their domestic double pursuit. The team was one shootout victory away from having to travel to Munich themselves.
One of the more intriguing ones among them might be Jack Grealish, who has spent the entire season in and out of Pep Guardiola’s squad.
The 28-year-old’s longest streak has been four straight Premier League games due to a combination of injuries, bans, and full games where he watched Jeremy Doku from the bench. His 2,104 minutes played in all competitions this season is a fair decrease from his 3,486 minutes the previous season.
Grealish seems to have taken a step backwards; after helping City win the Treble, he would have probably started the European Championships last summer. Instead, he is now battling to make England’s squad for Euro 2024.
Like at the last two major tournaments, he might benefit from Gareth Southgate’s ability to select 26 players, but playing time is by no means guaranteed.
With 35 appearances for City this season, the winger has returned with three goals and three assists, increasing the likelihood that City will accept bids for him this summer.
And Guardiola may decide whether to keep Grealish or let him go because he may discover he can no longer rely on a player he publicly chastised on the pitch following last month’s draw with Arsenal.
Guardiola dismissed the incident, jokingly saying it was to feed his own “ego,” but it’s undeniable that it left Grealish looking defeated after a game in which he had little to do with the goalless draw.
“I’m a major confidence player with me. The question of whether Grealish still feels loved by his coach could be crucial as he reaches a turning moment in his career. Last year, Grealish attributed his improvement in form to Guardiola’s belief.
There is no easy answer when considering his alternatives, but it may be simpler to see Grealish succeeding somewhere else than for him to establish himself as a City regular under Guardiola.
A role involving sacrifice for the collective cause rather than one that allows his individual brilliance to develop, Grealish has been mostly ground down by Guardiola’s methods since his £100 million arrival in 2021, disappointing those hoping to witness the Grealish that dominated Villa games.
Grealish would rather prefer to be rewarded for other qualities; all you have to do is look at his response when he was praised for a tackle last year. “When a winger’s match is its high point, it’s never a good sign,” he said to Sky Sports reporter Patrick Davidson.
After City defeated Spurs 4-2, Grealish was able to laugh it off with Mahrez, but it was a sign of what he has become at the team: repressed and crowded out, much as Mahrez felt before departing last summer.
Ultimately, Grealish was the main man at Villa, finishing his final season there in 2020–21 with 14 major chances created, tied for third in the Premier League.
Since then, he has generated 20 great opportunities altogether in his three seasons, ranking joint-seventh, second, and joint-10th among City players in this area this season alone. This indicates that he is not only behind Kevin De Bruyne in this regard.
Given Grealish’s undeniable quality, that just wouldn’t happen anywhere else. The challenging question is, where is elsewhere?
Going back to the boyhood club Given that Villa Park would host Champions League games the following season, Villa is the most obvious what-next result.
Nevertheless, given that Villa is treading carefully financially this summer following £119.6 million in losses for 2022–2023—it might not be feasible.
Grealish’s contract expires in2027, so he won’t be going cheap. Although a Villa reunion is inevitable in the long run, Grealish’s chances of leaving City quickly are slim.
Rather, the England international might be drawn to a move overseas, especially in light of Bellingham’s and Kane’s respective achievements in Germany and Spain.
It doesn’t seem completely impossible for him to join Kane at Bayern, a team that is clearly in transition after releasing its hold on the Bundesliga and may be open to new opportunities in the transfer market this summer.
For starters, Bayern still need to select a head coach. If they do, Grealish might do the same, going up against Kingsley Coman to feed Kane from the left, a combination that might catch Southgate or the next manager of England’s ears.
After Kylian Mbappe’s transfer is finalised, Real Madrid will undoubtedly feel congested. However, Grealish will have an opportunity to fill the void left by Mbappe, which is also very likely considering that PSG reportedly lost interest in Marcus Rashford on Monday.
Barcelona is always an option, but given their current financial situation, they are unable to meet any demands City may have for Grealish.
Saudi Arabia or Serie A might have their draws, but Grealish is more likely to stick with the team and fight, since he may feel more certain about his place at City under Guardiola after one more season.
Although Grealish might be persuaded otherwise by a summer at Euro 204 in which he played a little part, it does not seem as though it will return to Villa very soon.
Rather, he ought to extend his reach and explore the continent; upon returning, he would undoubtedly carry stories that would last for days, and perhaps most importantly, a renewed sense of self-assurance.
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