Jack Grealish’s struggles on the pitch have been evident this season and the attacker has now been urged to push for an exit from Manchester City in a bid to reignite his stalling career.
Grealish joined City from Aston Villa in 2021 and was undroppable in the 2022-23 season when Pep Guardiola’s side won the Treble. But in the aftermath the 29-year-old failed to score a goal in 2024, has lost his City place and was also left out of England’s squad for last summer’s European Championships.
Former England winger Chris Waddle believes the time has is ripe for Grealish to accept his time at City is over and should focus instead on looking for greener pastures elsewhere. Waddle told Prime Casino: “I do think that it’s time for Jack to have a serious think about his future.
“That’s the stage he’s at now, which is unfortunate. At Villa, he had a lot more freedom to show what he could do. When he went to City, he basically played as an out-and-out left winger, and he’s not a left winger.
“If I was Jack, I’d be thinking ‘I want to go play somewhere, I don’t want to play on the left, I want to play as a No.10 or as part of a midfield three’. He’s got to be looking at a club who wants to take him as a midfielder rather than a winger.
“He definitely needs to start again and go off, because he’s not going to get any joy in his football at City. If he can’t get in the City team, that means he’s not really going to get picked for England.
“He needs to start playing regular football to get his confidence back and to give him a chance of getting back in the England squad. When you’re looking at your career, if you’re not playing a lot, you need to move on.
“You don’t want to be sitting in the stands. He’s had his time at City, it hasn’t really changed for him, so I think he’s better off thinking ‘I need a new challenge and I want to play as a midfield player’.”
Waddle also claimed Grealish has put on weight because of his frustration at not playing, having started only six of City’s 20 Premier League games. Waddle added: “I remember watching him at Villa, he had a lot more to his game.
“He was criticised for not being in good shape by his manager – that’s never a good sign. I have to say, he looks a little heavier. That happens when players are frustrated.”