Amid the anticipated turmoil at Manchester City, it appears that the English club is poised to make crucial decisions that will force several of its players to leave, paving the way for new reinforcements planned for the transfer window.
With the confirmed departures of Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker, speculation suggests that several other prominent players—such as Bernardo Silva, Ederson Moraes, and Ruben Dias—could also leave as they seek new challenges away from the Etihad.
However, according to information from the Spanish newspaper El Nacional, one of the most anticipated departures is Jack Grealish, who is reportedly close to exiting the team.
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Although Grealish was once considered one of the Premier League’s brightest stars—so much so that manager Pep Guardiola became obsessed with signing him, prompting the club to pay €116 million to acquire him from Aston Villa—his performances have consistently fallen short of expectations, despite being a regular starter during the historic treble-winning season. To this day, Grealish’s transfer remains the most expensive in Manchester City’s history.
However, due to inconsistent form, recurring injuries, and off-field issues, he has lost his place in the starting lineup over the past two seasons, faced mounting criticism, and was excluded from the England squad. Despite his high salary, Manchester City has decided to part ways with the former Aston Villa star, fully aware that recouping the initial transfer fee is unlikely.
The club is actively seeking a buyer for Grealish, who has been linked with several Premier League clubs, including Newcastle United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur—though none have submitted a formal offer thus far. There have also been rumors of interest from clubs in Italy and Germany.
In a surprising twist, Pep Guardiola has expressed a desire to speak directly with Joan Laporta and Deco regarding a potential move to Barcelona, especially in light of coach Hansi Flick’s reported wish to add a new attacking option. However, Barcelona showed no interest in pursuing the deal, and the Camp Nou board responded swiftly and decisively, ruling out the possibility of signing Grealish altogether.
Flick does not see the player fitting into his future plans, while Barcelona’s management believes there are more suitable attacking options for the club’s upcoming sporting project.
