Jack Grealish, once hailed as Manchester City’s £100 million talisman during their 2023 treble-winning season, appears increasingly out of place at the Etihad Stadium as Pep Guardiola’s tactical evolution and squad overhaul have shifted expectations, leaving the 29-year-old winger on the fringes. With just seven Premier League starts in the 2024/25 season and an unused substitute role in City’s FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace on May 17, 2025, Grealish’s diminished role has sparked debate about whether Guardiola’s changing demands have rendered him surplus to requirements. Alan Shearer’s blunt assessment on The Rest is Football podcast, stating, “His time is up at Man City, he has to leave,” encapsulates the sentiment that Grealish’s career at City is at a crossroads, with Guardiola’s new priorities exposing his struggles to adapt (Daily Mail, May 19, 2025).
Guardiola’s Tactical Shift and Grealish’s Decline
When Grealish joined City from Aston Villa in 2021, he was celebrated for his flair, dribbling, and ability to unlock defenses, registering 16 goal contributions in his final Villa season (Goal.com, January 6, 2025). However, Guardiola’s system demanded a transformation, prioritizing control and discipline over maverick creativity. Grealish adapted initially, becoming a key cog in the 2023 treble, starting in the FA Cup and Champions League finals, where his work rate and tactical nous shone (Wikipedia, May 19, 2025). Yet, as City’s 2024/25 season faltered—finishing fifth in the Premier League and exiting the Champions League—Guardiola’s focus shifted to dynamic, goal-oriented wingers, leaving Grealish’s conservative playstyle exposed.
Guardiola’s preference for players like Savinho, who has registered one goal and three assists in his last two games, and Omar Marmoush, signed for £59 million, highlights a demand for directness and output (FootballTransfers.com, January 6, 2025). In a January 2025 press conference, Guardiola challenged Grealish to compete, saying, “Savinho is in better shape than Jack… I want the Jack who won the treble,” signaling that Grealish’s lack of goals (zero in 2024) and limited starts (six in the Premier League) fall short of the new standard (beIN SPORTS, January 7, 2025). Grealish’s solitary assist in 16 appearances and a Champions League goal against PSG in a 4-2 loss underscore his struggle to deliver in crucial moments (90min.com, March 21, 2025).
Posts on X reflect fan frustration, with @jfitzpatrick_90 noting, “Everyone mocked Grealish for passing back and slowing the game down, now the other wingers do it too. It’s clearly an instruction,” suggesting Guardiola’s system, not Grealish’s ability, is the issue (X, May 18, 2025). However, @liam7griffiths criticized Guardiola’s handling, arguing, “He bought Grealish for 100M and his soul has been content in not playing him and reducing his ability” (X, May 21, 2025).
Injuries, Competition, and Off-Field Scrutiny
Grealish’s 2024/25 season has been plagued by injuries, including a hip issue and setbacks that limited him to 31 appearances, with only 13 starts (beIN SPORTS, February 19, 2025). His standout performance against Nottingham Forest in December 2024, followed by an injury in training, disrupted his rhythm (Telegraph, March 7, 2025). The emergence of Savinho and Jeremy Doku, coupled with Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan being preferred in attacking roles, has pushed Grealish down the pecking order, as seen when debutant Claudio Echeverri was chosen over him in the FA Cup final (Daily Mail, May 19, 2025).
Off-field incidents, including publicized nights out in Manchester and Newcastle after an FA Cup win, have drawn scrutiny, though Guardiola dismissed concerns, stating, “I judge what I see on the pitch” (BBC Sport, March 7, 2025). Yet, his pointed comments about Grealish’s fitness—“He had niggles and problems”—suggest a deeper frustration with his inability to meet the physical demands of a three-games-a-week schedule (Telegraph, March 5, 2025).
Central Role Experiment and Future Prospects
Guardiola briefly experimented with Grealish in a central attacking midfield role, notably against Nottingham Forest, where he “offered control” and beat the press, earning praise: “Really good… he gave us what we need” (City_Xtra, December 4, 2024). This tactical tweak, leveraging Grealish’s composure and passing, showed promise, especially with Josko Gvardiol providing width (InvertTheWing, September 14, 2024). However, his single Premier League start since December 2024, against Leicester, where he scored his first league goal since December 2023, hasn’t secured a regular role (Manchester Evening News, April 3, 2025).
With two years left on his £300,000-a-week contract, Grealish’s future is uncertain. Guardiola confirmed discussions with sporting directors Txiki Begiristain and Hugo Viana will decide his fate post-season (The Guardian, May 19, 2025). Potential moves to Newcastle, Aston Villa, or even Benfica for more playing time have been floated, with his 39 England caps and World Cup aspirations under Thomas Tuchel at stake (FootballTransfers.com, January 6, 2025). Shearer and Micah Richards argue Grealish has played too safely, with Richards lamenting, “He’s played within himself” (Daily Mail, May 19, 2025).
Has Guardiola Moved the Goalposts?
Guardiola’s evolution toward a more direct, high-output attack has redefined City’s needs, sidelining Grealish’s strengths in tempo control and defensive work rate, which were vital in 2023. His inability to replicate the “exciting” Villa form, as noted by Txiki Begiristain, stems partly from Guardiola’s system, which curbs his creativity (Goal.com, January 6, 2025). While Grealish showed versatility centrally, the arrival of younger, dynamic wingers and his injury setbacks have left him struggling to meet the new benchmarks. With Kevin De Bruyne’s departure confirmed and City targeting players like Florian Wirtz, Grealish faces a pivotal summer to either reclaim his spot or seek a fresh start elsewhere (Jersey Evening Post, May 19, 2025).
