Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has called for Jack Grealish to make a dramatic return to his boyhood club, suggesting it could reignite his career.
Grealish, 29, made a high-profile £100 million move to Manchester City in 2021, and has since helped the club to three Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy. However, his time at City hasn’t always guaranteed regular minutes.
Over the past two Premier League campaigns, Grealish has made just 16 starts, with 17 additional appearances coming from the bench—leading some to question whether he’s truly flourished under Pep Guardiola.
Time for a Change?
Hendrie believes now might be the right moment for Grealish to seek a fresh start—and what better place than home?
“I’d love to see Jack Grealish back at Aston Villa. He’s Villa through and through,” Hendrie told Birmingham World.
“When he signed for City, I had a chat with him and he admitted it was tough adjusting. I told him to embrace it, and he’s gone on to win everything—which is fantastic.”
Despite the success, Hendrie feels Grealish hasn’t shown his full potential at City.
“We’ve only seen glimpses of the real Jack. The system at City has him playing to strict instructions. But when he plays for England, he looks so much freer and more confident.”
Complicated—but Worth It?
Hendrie acknowledged that finances could make a return to Villa Park difficult, but believes it’s a move that could benefit both player and club.
“It might be a complicated deal, but he wouldn’t be coming for a payday. He’d be coming to help Villa compete at the top. The fans would embrace him again. He still has so much to offer.”
“Nobody can say the move to City hasn’t been successful, but now it’s about enjoying the game again. For that, he may need to move on.”
Whether or not Aston Villa can pull off such a high-profile return remains to be seen—but Hendrie’s call has certainly reignited the conversation.
