Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about Jack Grealish's future ahead of transfer talks this summer
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Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola
Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola(Image: Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola said that Jack Grealish is an 'unbelievable player' who needs to be playing every three days - "with us or another place".
The Manchester City manager did not rule out keeping the former Villa man after leaving him out of the squad for the last day of the season, but said it would be down to him and the club to thrash out his future.
The writing has looked to be on the wall for Grealish for months at City. He has started just one league game in 2025 and has spent most games as an unused substitute despite being free from injury, with various players preferred ahead of him at different points of the season.
Being left out of the squad completely for Fulham felt like the final nail in the coffin for the £100m signing, yet Guardiola insisted that it shouldn't be read as severely as that. As he explained it, Grealish was left out just as other players had been left out in recent weeks as the manager battles with a bigger squad than he is happy dealing with.
"It was selection. The last two months, month and a half, there were five or six players at home every time and this time I decided for these guys. No more than that," he said.
"Of course Jack has to play. He's an unbelievable player that has to play football every three days. It didn't happen this season and last season either.
"He needs to do it - with us or another place. It's a question for Jack, his agent, and the club.
"If he stays it will be fine and he fought like he fought from day one to make a contribution but not today. For example the FA Cup final I rotated and Rico and Macca were not there and Khusanov and Vitor and Echeverri were here so it's the same. I tried to move the players like it was there and today it was Jack, no more than that."
Guardiola refused to say if he would like Grealish to stay, but felt the need to point out that he had personally fought not just to sign Grealish back in 2021 but also to keep him at the club for the last two summers. Whatever happens in the future, Guardiola believes he has given the City star his backing.
"Don't ask me about Jack. Who said I'm not happy with Jack? Rico was not selected, McAtee was exceptional against Aston Villa and Wolves - why not ask me about McAtee? It's not personal," he said.
"I have 24 players, I have to get rid of six players last game and five players today because Kovacic got sent off. I treat Jack like I think of Khusanov, McAtee and all the players who have not been but you say I'm selecting we are in trouble? It's not about that.
"I have 24 players, I have to get rid of five players because Kovacic was sent off in the last game. I'm thinking of Jack and Khusanov and McAtee. It's nothing personal with Jack.
"I'm the person who fought for him to come here and the person who fought for him to stay here this season and the last season. I'm the one who said I want Jack Grealish.
"Now he didn't come because he didn't come but not something else. What happens in the future is a job for Txiki, Hugo and the agents."
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