Jack Grealish’s departure from Manchester City now seems a certainty after the unfavoured winger was left out of Pep Guardiola’s squad for the Club World Cup.
The Briton has struggled to live up to his price tag at the Etihad since joining from Aston Villa in a £100million move in 2021.
He has managed just 17 goals in 157 appearances, scoring just once in the Premier League this season as he tumbled down the pecking order following the arrivals of Jeremy Doku and Claudio Echeverri.
Grealish is now looking for a permanent move away from the Etihad as he looks to return to form and crack Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup.
City are ready to take a considerable loss on his transfer fee as they look to shift his £300,000-per-week wage packet, naming their price at just £40m.
Standard Sport previously reported that Aston Villa, Newcastle, Everton, and West Ham are all interested in taking him on, with Serie A side Napoli also thought to be in the running.
City have not waited to sell Grealish before strengthening the squad. After enduring a rare trophyless campaign, Guardiola is looking to refresh his ageing squad.
He has already made four signings, all of whom are included in the Club World Cup squad.
Dynamic winger Rayan Cherki has arrived from Lyon, while the departing Kevin de Bruyne has been replaced by AC Milan’s Tijjani Reijnders. Full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri has arrived from Wolves ahead of Kyle Walker’s anticipated departure.
He has also brought in a backup keeper in Marcus Bettinelli, formerly of Chelsea and Fulham.
The four transfers are reportedly worth around £107m between them.
Their squad numbers have also been announced. Bettinelli takes on No13, the traditional choice for a back-up keeper, while Reijnders and Cherki have opted for No4 and No29, respectively. Ait-Nouri will wear No21.
Neither De Bruyne nor Walker have been included in the Club World Cup squad ahead of their planned departures. De Bruyne leaves a free agent after spending a trophy-laden decade with the club and is reportedly set to join Napoli. Walker requested a transfer in January, only earning a short-term loan to AC Milan.
City will face Morocco’s Wydad AC, Abu Dhabi side Al Ain, and Italian titans Juventus in the group stage.
Manchester City Club World Cup squad in full
Goalkeepers: Marcus Bettinelli, Stefan Ortega Moreno, Ederson
Defenders: Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Vitor Reis, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rico Lewis
Midfielders: Tijjani Reijnders, Nico Gonzalez, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Savinho, Claudio Echeverri, Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb, Nico O’Reilly
Forwards: Omar Marmoush, Erling Haaland
