Soccerhuz.com runs through the winger’s possible next destinations after what appears to be the final nail in the coffin of his career at Etihad Stadium “Of course, Jack has to play. He’s an unbelievable player who has to play football every three days. It didn’t happen this season and last season either,” Pep Guardiola said after leaving Jack Grealish out of Manchester City’s squad for their 2-0 win over Fulham on the final day of the Premier League season. “He needs to do it. With us or another place. It’s a question for Jack, his agent and the club.”
That was the politest possible way of saying ‘you’re not needed here anymore’. The final confirmation of that came on Wednesday, as Grealish was omitted from Guardiola’s 27-man list of travelling players for the Club World Cup in the United States.
A new era is starting at City, who have already spent £116 million ($158m) on four new players this summer, and Grealish won’t be part of it. It’s a sad state of affairs for the 29-year-old, not only because he is not leaving on his own terms, but because he has arguably wasted the best years of his career trying to be something he’s not under a manager known for discouraging freedom of expression.
Grealish struggled to adjust after completing his British-record £100m ($136m) transfer from Aston Villa to the Etihad in 2021, and although he played his part in City’s historic treble success in 2022-23, the last two seasons have been completely miserable for the England international. Indeed, he was restricted to just seven Premier League starts in 2024-25 after falling behind Savinho and Jeremy Doku in the attacking pecking order, and failed to make the most of the rare chances he did get.
The unpredictable genius who thrilled Premier League crowds at Villa has been zapped of all confidence, and he’s also surrendered his place in the England squad as a result. But all is not lost yet. Grealish can still get back to his scintillating best if he picks the right new club, and GOAL is on hand to rank the eight options available to the City outcast…
According to talkSPORT, Grealish could make a fresh start outside of European football if he wishes. That’s because Al-Qadsiah have expressed an interest in the winger – the Saudi Arabia-based club who finished fourth in the Pro League and reached the King’s Cup final last season.
Grealish could link up with ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Real Madrid legend Nacho at Al-Qadsiah, both of whom have enjoyed impressive debut campaigns in the Middle East. Several other top players have thrived individually in Saudi over the last couple of years, not least Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been able to prolong his illustrious career by banging in the goals for fun at Al-Nassr.
There is obviously a huge financial allure, too, and no one would begrudge Grealish if he decided to set his family up for life. But it would be a monumental waste of his talent, especially entering a World Cup year. If Grealish wants to be on the England plane to North America next summer, he has to stay in Europe’s top five leagues and recapture the form that made him a household name at Villa.
A new challenge in Italy may also appeal to Grealish amid strong links to AC Milan, where he could reunite with former England team-mates Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori. Their presence would allow Grealish to settle into his new surroundings quickly, and it’s likely he’d see regular minutes right from the off amid a lack of strength in depth in the final third for the Rossoneri.
That being said, it would be a big risk. Milan won’t be playing European football next season after slumping to an eighth-place finish in Serie A, and they’ve become far too reliant on United States star Christian Pulisic to deliver them positive results.
The return of pragmatic head coach Massimiliano Allegri is not ideal for Grealish, either. He’s lost his identity as a system player at City, and swapping one strict tactical set-up for another may only ensure he continues to stagnate.
The romantic homecoming often proves impossible to resist; just ask Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, and Neymar. Familiarity can often spark a turnaround in fortunes, so it’s no surprise Grealish is reportedly open to returning to Aston Villa, where he racked up 75 goal involvements in 213 appearances between 2013 and 2021.
Unai Emery is said to rate Grealish highly, and he would certainly add some extra creativity to the Villa forward line, but getting a deal done may be beyond the Midlands club at this stage. As per BBC Sport, Villa are making it a priority to reduce their wage bill after failing to qualify for the Champions League left them in danger of breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Grealish is reportedly earning £300,000 a week at City, so unless he takes a massive pay cut or Villa sell a number of key players, this particular homecoming deal will remain little more than a pipe dream.
Newcastle will be back in the Champions League next season, and desperately need to bolster their options on the flanks to improve on their disappointing showing in the competition in 2023-24, especially with Anthony Gordon emerging as a target for Arsenal and Tottenham. The Sun claims that Eddie Howe may turn to Grealish, and Newcastle are one of the few clubs with the financial might to match his wage demands.
That being said, the report adds that Newcastle would prefer a loan deal because they do not have much headroom left for transfer fees under PSR. It remains to be seen if City will be open to keeping Grealish on their books for another year, especially after Guardiola’s recent insistence that he will quit if the squad is not trimmed down.
City may also be wary of strengthening a direct rival. When fully fit and firing, Grealish box-office maverick who could potentially help Newcastle make the next step towards title contention and become a cult hero for the Toon Army.
The Sun has also credited Bayer Leverkusen with an interest in Grealish, and he may well be tempted to follow in the footsteps of fellow English stars such as Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and most recently, Jobe Bellingham, by trying his hand in the Bundesliga.
The German giants see Grealish as the ideal replacement for Florian Wirtz as he closes in on a move to Liverpool, with new head coach Erik ten Hag said to be a keen admirer of the Man City star. Those are huge boots to fill, but Grealish has excelled in the No.10 slot for England and Villa in the past, and a guaranteed starting role with a Champions League team would instantly boost his chances of an England recall.
Grealish played his best football when he was a big fish in a smaller pond at Villa, and it’s easy to imagine him doing the same at Everton. The Toffees are reportedly eager to make the playmaker their first marquee signing at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, and Football Insider claims he is “excited” by their interest.
With his experience at the highest level, Grealish would likely be handed a leading role at Everton, and Merseyside is a commutable distance from Manchester, so he could continue to live in his current home if he wanted to. Grealish would also gain a strong ally in the form of David Moyes, who is a long-time fan of the Aston Villa academy graduate. The former West Ham boss said in 2021: “He has done such a big job at that club [Villa] and is probably the best player in the league right now.”
Moyes may feel he is the right man to get Grealish back to that level, and the City attacker needs only look at how much the likes of Jake O’Brien, Beto, and Iliman Ndiaye have improved at Everton to know the Scot remains an excellent man-manager.
After convincing Antonio Conte to stay on as manager, talkSPORT claims that Napoli’s next priority is signing a new left winger, with Grealish and Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho top of their wish list. The Italian champions are willing to pay up to £42m ($571m) for both men, and City would probably bite their hand off if they formalise their interest in Grealish.
There isn’t a better path to redemption outside the Premier League for Grealish than Napoli. Scott McTominay was in a similar boat to the ex-Villa man when he left United last summer, but he is now considered among Europe’s finest midfielders, having been the driving force behind the Partenopei’s shock run to Serie A glory in 2024-25.
Romelu Lukaku has also enjoyed a revival in Naples, and there is no reason Grealish couldn’t do the same. He’d also be making the transition with one of the few City players he built a strong on-pitch rapport with in Kevin De Bruyne, who has already agreed a two-year deal with the Italian club.
According to Football Transfers, Tottenham have already opened talks with Grealish’s representatives over a summer transfer. They may have the edge over the other clubs on this list, too, because Spurs’ current sporting director, Johan Lange, was the man who brokered Grealish’s record move to City, and he still holds a good relationship with the winger.
It’s a move that makes a lot of sense. Firstly, there won’t be too much pressure on Grealish’s shoulders at Spurs because they are bidding to bounce back from a dismal 17th-place finish in the Premier League. Having that margin for error, as Thomas Frank picks up the mantle from Ange Postecoglou, could be very important in helping Grealish build up his match sharpness again.
Secondly, Grealish would have the opportunity to continue playing Champions League football after Spurs’ unlikely triumph in the Europa League. And thirdly, he is a ready-made successor to club legend Son Heung-min if the South Korean does depart as expected this summer, while he could also be an ideal fit for Frank’s flexible system.
As if all that wasn’t enough, Grealish is also known to be a close friend of Spurs’ chief creator James Maddison. If they could help each other get back to their very best, that’s potentially a great thing for Thomas Tuchel and England.
