Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer insists Jack Grealish “has to leave” Man City after Pep Guardiola left him on the bench during the FA Cup final.
The Citizens have had a poor season by their standards with Guardiola’s side facing a battle to qualify for the Champions League.
Man City find themselves in sixth position, one place outside the Champions League places, although they have a game in hand on all of their rivals.
Defeat to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday marked a new low for the season with Guardiola facing a big job to get his side challenging for major honours again next term.
One player who has had little impact on their season is Grealish with the Man City winger – who signed from Aston Villa for £100m in 2021 – falling almost completely out of favour with Guardiola.
The Man City boss has provided him with just 16 starts in all competitions this season and it now looks likely he will move on in the summer.
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Newcastle United legend Shearer thinks the introduction of youngster Claudio Echeverri over Grealish in the FA Cup final on Saturday was a further kick in the teeth for the England international.
Shearer said on The Rest Is Football podcast: “Did it surprise me yesterday (that City lost)? No, because that’s what they’ve been like all season. They didn’t deserve to win it, they didn’t do enough to win it.
“You mentioned Jack Grealish. His time is up at Man City, he has to leave.
“For him (Guardiola) to bring a debutant on, a young boy (Claudio Echeverri) and Gundogan on when they’re desperate for a goal rather than Jack Grealish… his time is up, he’s done at Man City, he has to leave.
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“For whatever reason, Pep’s done with him, he doesn’t like him, his time is up it really is.”
Ex-Man City defender Micah Richards also chimed in, he added :”You know what is sad though, the fact that players make a move and sometimes it doesn’t work out for any reason,’ he added.
“But I feel as though Jack’s played within himself. If he’d gone there and been losing the ball because he’d tried to take people on, making the wrong pass or whatever… but I don’t feel like we’ve seen the real Jack Grealish.”
Guardiola revealed why Grealish had not played as much this season in an interview in January, the Man City boss said: “As much as (Grealish) looks at himself, he will see the competition. He has to compete with himself. Savinho is in better shape and everything than Jack and that’s why I played Savinho.
“I want the Jack that won the Treble. But I try to be honest with myself for that. What happened with Savinho’s delivery in the box? It’s higher than the other wingers in that position.
“And they have to fight. You can say “OK, it’s unfair”. If you think that, then it’s fine.
“But you have to prove, “I’m going to fight with Savinho, to deserve to play in that position”. And every single day, and every single week and every single month.”