Guardiola raises the prospect of Grealish leaving Man City
Guardiola raises the prospect of Grealish leaving Man City
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola looks on ahead of the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Manchester City at Craven Cottage, London, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Manchester City’s Jack Grealish in action in front of Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic during the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola looks on ahead of the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Manchester City at Craven Cottage, London, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Manchester City’s head coach Pep Guardiola looks on ahead of the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Manchester City at Craven Cottage, London, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
Manchester City’s Jack Grealish in action in front of Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic during the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Manchester City’s Jack Grealish in action in front of Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic during the English FA Cup semifinal soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
LONDON (AP) — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola raised the prospect of Jack Grealish leaving the club in the offseason after the winger was omitted from the squad for the last game of the Premier League season.
Grealish, City’s record signing at $139 million, did not travel to London for the match against Fulham which City won 2-0 to qualify for the Champions League.
The 29-year-old England international has started just seven times in the league this season, and was an unused substitute in City’s FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend.
Guardiola said Grealish missed out based on “selection” and called him an “unbelievable player that has to play football every three days.”
“It didn’t happen this season and last season, either,” Guardiola said. “He needs to do it, and that’s with us, or another place.
“And that’s a question for Jack, his agent, and the club. If he stays, it will be fine and he fought like he fought from day one to make a contribution, but not today.”
Grealish signed from Aston Villa in 2021 and played a key role in City securing the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup to complete a historic treble two years later.
Put to Guardiola that he is unhappy with Grealish, the City manager said: “Who said I’m not happy with Jack? Rico (Lewis) was not selected, (James) McAtee was exceptional against Aston Villa and Wolves. Why not ask me about McAtee? It’s not personal.
“I’m the person,” Guardiola added, “who fought for Jack to come here, and the person who fought for him to stay here this season and the next season. I’m the one who said, ‘I want Jack Grealish.’”
City started the campaign bidding to win five consecutive titles, and ended it without a trophy for the first time in eight years and 13 points adrift of champion Liverpool.
“It is a relief because today qualification for the Champions League is like winning the title,” Guardiola said. “When we could not win the Premier League, the players could have said, ‘I don’t fight anymore.’ That has happened in this country many, many times that the winner of the Premier League has not qualified for the Champions League.”
Guardiola added: “We never gave up. People will not believe it, but it is a really, really happy day for us. We will learn the lessons and next season it will not happen again and we will be better.”
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