Pep Guardiola has suggested Jack Grealish does have a future at Manchester City despite leaving him out of his squad for the Club World Cup.
The City manager appeared to have opened the door for Grealish to leave the Etihad Stadium when he omitted him from the 27-man playing group for this summer’s tournament in the United States.
That came after Grealish, a £100million signing from Aston Villa four years ago and one of the stars of the 2023 treble success, endured a difficult 2024-25 season, making just seven Premier League starts.
Yet Guardiola, while offering no guarantees about the England international’s prospects at City, says his absence is principally about allowing him to work on his game.
Speaking at a press conference in Philadelphia ahead of City’s tournament opener against Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca, Guardiola said: “He had a conversation with the club and decided the best.
“Jack is an exceptional player but he didn’t (play a lot). We decided he has to play.
“We’re honest and he’s honest. We decided the best was to stay (behind) and find that he can play, that he can come back to the player of the year of the treble and all his career at Aston Villa.
“But the fact is he didn’t play much minutes the last two seasons. He has to come back to play and have the butterflies in his stomach that he can play every three days and show again the quality that he has.
“We decided don’t come here. What happens I don’t know but if he doesn’t (leave) he is a player for Man City and he will be back.”
Guardiola denied this meant he felt Grealish had lost hunger for the game, but he needs reasons to start picking him again.
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He said: “The reason he didn’t play is my decisions. Football is competing with each other – not just Jack, all of them.
“They compete (for) who deserves to play. The butterflies are an example of the tension and they happen for all the players.
“Over the last two years he didn’t play much and I take responsibility for that, but he has to play and we reflected that it was better not to come here.”
Another player not involved in the US is England right-back Kyle Walker, who spent the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan and appears set to leave the club.
The 35-year-old has been linked with Everton but Guardiola was unwilling to discuss the matter.
He said: “I don’t have any news. It’s the same case for Jack. About the links with other teams, you have to ask (director of football) Hugo (Viana).”
