Guardiola hints at summer exit for Grealish after Club World Cup omission

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has suggested that Jack Grealish may need to consider leaving the club in the summer to secure more regular playing time, after the England international was omitted from the squad travelling to the United States for the revamped FIFA Club World Cup.

The 29-year-old attacking midfielder, signed from Aston Villa for £100 million in 2021, started just seven Premier League matches during the 2024-25 campaign. Speaking ahead of City’s Group G opener against Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, Guardiola admitted that Grealish’s future remains uncertain.

“We had a conversation between him and the club and decided it was best for him not to travel to the Club World Cup,” Guardiola told reporters in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

“Jack is an exceptional player. The only reason he didn’t play last season was, of course, my decisions. Now, we’ve decided he needs to play. The club was honest, and he was honest.”

Guardiola emphasised Grealish’s importance to the squad during City’s treble-winning campaign in 2022-23, as well as his influence during his time at Aston Villa. However, he acknowledged that the past two seasons have seen the player struggle for consistency.

“He has incredible respect and love for the team,” Guardiola said. “We decided it’s best for him to stay in Manchester, find a place where he can feel like playing again, and rediscover the form he showed in the year of the treble or during his time at Villa. The fact is, over the last two seasons, he hasn’t played enough, and he needs to get back to playing regularly, feeling that excitement of competing every three days.”

While Guardiola left the door open for Grealish to remain at the Etihad Stadium, he admitted that both the player and the club will use their time apart during the Club World Cup to reflect on his future.

“I don’t know if his future will be in Manchester,” he said. “We’ll be away now, and we’ll see what happens. For now, he’s a Manchester City player, and if he has to come back, he will.”