Jack Grealish tipped to make Aston Villa return as Pep Guardiola’s tactics leave Man City star ‘wanting to do more himself’
- Grealish left Villa for City in 2021
- Tipped to return to his former team
- Lansbury hints he wants ‘to do more’
WHAT HAPPENED?
Grealish, who came through the Aston Villa youth academy and rose to first-team stardom, has enjoyed a successful career since joining City in 2021, winning three Premier League titles and a Champions League crown as part of Pep Guardiola’s side.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The England international had a diminished role last season, though, as he started 10 of his 20 Premier League appearances, while he has been named on the bench on several occasions this term, too. Lansbury has suggested his fellow ex-Villa star feels stifled by Guardiola’s tactics at City and feels a move back to his old stomping grounds is a possibility.
WHAT LANSBURY SAID
“Look, he wants to do unbelievable, but this is just a totally different playing style under Pep Guardiola. You see him do bits here and there, and he will still get assists and goals – I’m sure he’ll want to do more himself,” Lansbury said, according to Birmingham Live.
“In terms of an Aston Villa return… I think it’s something he’d want to do, but it would have to be when the time is right for him. For me, his standout moment in a Villa shirt was that goal against Birmingham, when he got punched. I wasn’t playing in that game… I was either left out or on the bench! Look, he really does hate the Blues, and given what happened in that game, it was just such a nice thing to see: a local kid score in that derby.”
WHAT NEXT FOR GREALISH?
Grealish has been out injured for City in recent weeks, but he was named in the England squad for their upcoming games against Greece and Ireland. Interim Three Lions manager Lee Carsley said that the winger is expected to be fit ahead of the clash with Greece on November 14.
