'Writing on the wall' - what does future hold for Grealish?

Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish whitethorn person to time off this summertime pinch "the penning connected nan wall" for him, says their erstwhile goalkeeper Shay Given.

Grealish, 29, was a British grounds signing erstwhile he joined Pep Guardiola's broadside from Aston Villa for £100m successful 2021.

The England world has won 3 Premier League titles, nan Champions League and FA Cup pinch City but has fallen down nan pecking bid this season.

Grealish has only started 16 times this play successful each competitions, and has been connected nan transportation for 1,520 minutes - less than half nan magnitude he played successful nan 2022-23 play erstwhile City won nan Champions League.

He was an unused substitute arsenic Crystal Palace won nan FA Cup final past weekend, while he besides did not get connected nan transportation erstwhile City were beaten astatine Wembley by rivals Manchester United in 2024.

Grealish's early astatine Etihad Stadium is unclear heading into nan summer, pinch a increasing consciousness that he would use from a move earlier adjacent season.

There is apt to beryllium liking from clubs crossed Europe successful a subordinate who whitethorn beryllium attracted by nan thought of a caller commencement astatine a apical nine who could supply him pinch regular football.

It remains to beryllium seen whether his reported £300,000-per-week wages will beryllium prohibitive towards immoderate imaginable move away.

"I person a soft spot for Jack Grealish and nan measurement he is being treated is not on," erstwhile City keeper Given, who played alongside Grealish astatine Villa, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"He's not helped himself astatine times but he is simply a generational talent that you want to build your squad around.

"That's back-to-back FA Cup finals wherever you request a extremity and you don't usage him. At nan play City brought connected Claudio Echeverri who made his debut instead.

"Jack is an international, a aggregate winner, it was criminal he didn't get connected nan pitch. The penning is connected nan wall. I don't cognize why Pep moreover brought him to London. He whitethorn arsenic good person stayed astatine home.

"When he plays, he's a mannequin connected nan helping and conscionable told to support nan shape. Kevin de Bruyne is leaving successful nan summertime and Jack Grealish is nan cleanable replacement to play successful nan mediate but aft what has happened, he possibly won't play for nan nine again.

"For his career, he has to spot what is retired there. He is an astonishing talent pinch plentifulness of years near successful him."

Defeat successful nan FA Cup last intends that City will decorativeness without a awesome trophy for nan first clip since Guardiola's first play successful complaint successful 2016-17.

They spell into their last 2 Premier League games successful sixth spot and could miss retired connected nan Champions League adjacent season.

Guardiola says discussions will return spot betwixt outgoing head of shot Txiki Begiristain, his successor Hugo Viana and nan player's representatives.

"We didn't talk - I didn't talk pinch him," Guardiola said. "People don't judge me, but these things beryllium to nan agents and nan nine and Txiki, and successful this lawsuit Hugo arsenic well. Both will decide.

"What is going to hap will happen, but he has to travel backmost to commencement to play minutes again.

"It's not only Jack. There is not 1 subordinate successful my locker room, and I deliberation each nan locker rooms astir nan world, that is happy erstwhile they do not play.

"When nan squad is winning and winning, they person to fig retired really everything happens - but they are not happy.

"They are present to play and, erstwhile they don't play, they are not satisfied. That is nan normal position successful each nan clubs."