Erling Haaland has posted about missing his friend Jack Grealish after the England star was left out of Manchester City’s squad for the Club World Cup.
City will head to the United States for the tournament, with their first game of the campaign on June 18 against Moroccan side Wydad. They will also play Juventus and Al Ain in the group stage.
Grealish, 29, is understood to have been left out so he can find a new club this summer. Guardiola has already acknowledged he may leave, and England manager Thomas Tuchel has told the forward that he must be playing more often in order to earn a call-up.
Grealish, who started only seven times in what was a poor season for City by their own standards, has now jetted off on holiday and shared some snaps from him break.
While he has two years remaining on his £300,000-a-week contract, a repeat would do neither City nor the player any favours.
And Haaland, one of Grealish’s best friends at the club, shared a post on social media directed at the star as City jetted off for the start of the competition.
Jack Grealish has shared a cryptic message after jetting off on holiday having been left out of the Manchester City Club World Cup squad
Erling Haaland, meanwhile, sent his own message to Grealish as he jetted off to the States without his friend
Grealish has been left out so he can find a new club after struggling for game time this term
Haaland, who scored 31 goals in all competitions for City this season, shared a photo to his Snapchat account of him sat on City’s flight to Florida, wearing a City shirt and sat on branded seats.
The spot next to him, though, was empty – having seemingly been left free for Grealish.
The forward, wearing headphones, had instead seemingly put some luggage on the seat next to him, and captioned the photo: ‘Jack Grealish where are you,’ accompanied by a crying emoji.
Grealish shared a video on his own Instagram page, showing his legs in water with the caption: ‘Peaceful’, and showing off his surroundings, with a cruise ship seen in the sea.
Haaland and Grealish have become close friends since the former joined the club from Borussia Dortmund three years ago.
After City won the Premier League for two years ago, Haaland screamed: ‘I f***ing love you, you know that?’ in his friend’s direction, interrupting his interview with Sky Sports.
Mail Sport explained in May 2023 how the pair live on the same floor in a plush city-centre apartment block in Manchester, only strengthening their relationship – although one ventures into town slightly more than the other.
‘Everyone is different, aren’t they?’ Grealish previously told Mail Sport. ‘Look at Erling. He is the best professional I have ever seen.
Grealish and Haaland both live on the same floor in a plush apartment block in Manchester
The duo have developed a blossoming bromance but are soon set to be separated when Grealish leaves
Haaland stole the show during Grealish’s post-match interview after City won the league in 2023 as the striker yelled ‘I f***ing love you, you know that?’, live on Sky Sports
The pair are two interesting characters but are perhaps an unlikely combination as best friends
If Haaland ever scores a goal his best mate Grealish is never far away from congratulating him
‘We have a great friendship but he will point at me after a game and say, ‘Hey, don’t you go out tonight partying’.
‘His mindset is something you won’t see again. He does everything. Recovers. In the gym. 10 hours of treatment a day. Ice baths. Diet. That’s why he is what he is. But I swear I couldn’t be like that.
Clubs in England – including Everton – and Europe are expected to be interested in the playmaker, although the fact that many are grappling with profit and sustainability issues may point to the likelihood of a loan deal, rather than a permanent move for a man who cost City £100m when he signed from Aston Villa for a British record fee in 2021.
After Grealish was left out of City’s final Premier League fixture at Fulham, Guardiola said that officials would work with the player and his representatives to find a solution that suited both sides.
