‘Writing on the wall’ – what does future hold for Grealish?

Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish may have to leave this summer with “the writing on the wall” for him, says their former goalkeeper Shay Given.

Grealish, 29, was a British record signing when he joined Pep Guardiola’s side from Aston Villa for £100m in 2021.

The England international has won three Premier League titles, the Champions League and FA Cup with City but has fallen down the pecking order this season.

Grealish has only started 16 times this season in all competitions, and has been on the pitch for 1, 520 minutes – fewer than half the amount he played in the 2022-23 season when City won the Champions League.

He was an unused substitute as Crystal Palace won the FA Cup final last weekend, while he also did not get on the pitch when City were beaten at Wembley by rivals Manchester United in 2024.

Grealish’s future at Etihad Stadium is unclear heading into the summer, with a growing sense that he would benefit from a move before next season.

There is likely to be interest from clubs across Europe in a player who may be attracted by the idea of a fresh start at a top club who could provide him with regular football.

It remains to be seen whether his reported £300, 000-per-week wages will prove prohibitive towards any potential move away.

“I have a soft spot for Jack Grealish and the way he is being treated is not on”, former City keeper Given, who played alongside Grealish at Villa, told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.

“He’s not helped himself at times but he is a generational talent that you want to build your team around.

” That’s back-to-back FA Cup finals where you need a goal and you don’t use him. At the weekend City brought on Claudio Echeverri who made his debut instead.

“Jack is an international, a multiple winner, it was criminal he didn’t get on the pitch. The writing is on the wall. I don’t know why Pep even brought him to London. He may as well have stayed at home.

” When he plays, he’s a mannequin on the wing and just told to keep the shape. Kevin de Bruyne is leaving in the summer and Jack Grealish is the perfect replacement to play in the middle but after what has happened, he maybe won’t play for the club again.

“For his career, he has to see what is out there. With plenty of years to go, he has an amazing talent.

For the first time since Guardiola’s first season in charge in 2016-17, City will finish without a major trophy following a defeat in the FA Cup final.

Sixth place in the Premier League’s final two games, they could not win the Champions League the following year.

Guardiola says talks will be held between the player’s representatives, his successor Hugo Viana, and Txiki Begiristain, who will be retiring.

Guardiola said, “We didn’t talk; I didn’t talk to him.” “People don’t believe me, but these things belong to Txiki, the agents, and Hugo in this case.” Both parties will decide.

He must return to begin playing minutes once more, but what will happen will happen.

“It’s not just Jack,” he said. Not one locker room player is happy when they don’t play, and I don’t think there are any in all the locker rooms around the world.

The team must figure out how everything works when they are winning and winning, but they are unhappy.