Jack Grealish has had a disappointing season, with the Englishman recently finding himself sidelined at Manchester City. National coach Thomas Tuchel is already suggesting he should move clubs.
When Thomas Tuchel named his second squad in his still young tenure as England manager, Jack Grealish was unsurprisingly left out again. The most expensive English player in the Premier League to date is currently miles away from the Three Lions.
Grealish had a season to forget at Manchester City. Although the technically gifted right-footed player made 32 appearances in all competitions, Pep Guardiola mostly used him as a substitute. Grealish started seven times in the Premier League, and when he was given the chance, the 29-year-old rarely impressed.
His time at the Skyblues appears to be coming to an end this summer after four seasons. According to a report by The Athletic, Grealish is no longer part of the squad traveling to the USA for the Club World Cup. It’s a stark sporting decline for the normally proud and confident Englishman, who won the Champions League with the Citizens in 2022/23 and played an immensely important role at the time.
While Guardiola apparently no longer sees a use for Grealish, Tuchel still has high hopes for him. The 51-year-old has sought talks with Grealish on several occasions, most recently after the Skyblues lost the FA Cup final. Grealish had sat on the bench for the entire game. Tuchel gave him a clear message at the time, especially with next year’s World Cup in mind.
Tuchel is not giving up on Grealish
“He has to make himself available by playing,” said Tuchel, who sees “playing every three days” as one of Grealish’s “main strengths.” With every minute on the pitch, Grealish gets better and better. “That’s what he’s missing, nothing else.”
A national coach couldn’t make a clearer call for a club transfer. Tuchel is doing so precisely because he would very much like to have Grealish in the 2026 tournament. “I love Jack for his personality and, of course, for his talent. He is a very special player who can handle a lot of pressure on the field. He’s not shy,” said the German coach, who recently had nothing but praise for Grealish.
However, as his situation had not changed recently, Tuchel was unable and unwilling to consider him for the Three Lions’ World Cup qualifiers. If Grealish does not find a new club soon or return to form, this is likely to remain the case.