Manchester City are really going to have issues moving on Jack Grealish this summer. While Everton and Newcastle United are both said to be interested, there doesn’t seem to be much interest beyond that. It’s not the talent or potential that’s the problem here with Grealish, it’s the price tag. The English winger still has two years left to run on his £15 million-a-year contract.
Next to no one is going to pay that; especially for a player who hasn’t been producing over the past four years.
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Who Will Take Jack Grealish?
Other than the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, a couple of the London clubs, and the two El Clasico clubs, no one in world football can afford a £100 million player. And when Grealish moved over from Aston Villa in 2021, he became the first ever £100m English born player. Pep Guardiola has made it clear- Grealish has been dropped due to his on-the-pitch performances, not anything off-the-pitch.
Pep has also said that Grealish must play, he needs to play, and that will be elsewhere. The only hope is to find a club that will take him on loan, and cover part of his wages. At the end of the day, City will also need to cover some of that hefty salary that Grealish earns.
It’s the only way a loan deal will be struck.
Kyle Walker
You may have even forgotten that Walker is still on the team. That’s understandable, given the downward turn his career has taken. Kyle Walker went out on loan to AC Milan for the back half of the season, but he didn’t impress enough to earn the prospect of the loan deal becoming a permanent one instead.
On the wrong side of 35, interest in his services is/will be limited. His deal expires after one year, so if they don’t sell him this summer, he’ll be able to walk on a free next year. Fenerbahce in Turkey are reportedly keen.
Walker is also the age that makes him a prime target for MLS and Saudi Pro League too.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter