Guardiola reveals Manchester City’s stance on Grealish’s future remains undecided

Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, will determine Jack Grealish’s future at the club following the conclusion of the current season.

Since playing a pivotal role in City’s treble-winning campaign in 2023, Grealish has seen his prominence in the side wane under Guardiola’s management.

The 29-year-old has only started seven Premier League matches this season and was notably left out of the starting lineup during Saturday’s unexpected 1-0 defeat in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace.

This omission has sparked speculation regarding the potential exit of the England international from the Etihad Stadium in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Guardiola remarked that discussions would occur between outgoing director of football Txiki Begiristain, his incoming successor Hugo Viana, and Grealish’s representatives before a decision is made about his future with the club.

“We haven’t spoken, and I haven’t had a conversation with him,” Guardiola informed the media on Monday.

“People might not believe me, but these matters are handled by the agents, the club, Txiki, and in this case, Hugo as well. They will decide.

“What will happen will happen, but he needs to come back and start getting game time again.”

Guardiola acknowledges that Grealish, who still has two years left on his contract, is likely not pleased with his current lack of playtime.

“It’s not just Jack. Every player in my squad, and likely in every locker room worldwide, feels unhappy when they aren’t participating,” he stated.

“When the team is succeeding, they must understand how things unfold, but they are still not content.

“They are here to compete, and when they aren’t playing, they naturally feel dissatisfied. That’s a standard reaction across all clubs.”

One player who will definitely be leaving is Kevin De Bruyne, who is poised to make his final home appearance for the team in Tuesday’s Premier League match against Bournemouth.

The 33-year-old midfielder’s contract expires in June, marking the end of a remarkable decade at the Etihad, during which he has collected 16 trophies.

Although the Belgian has claimed he is still capable of competing at the Premier League level, Guardiola believes it’s time for a change, following injuries and declining form that have affected his performance over the past two years.

“Certain players are incredibly challenging to replace, for various reasons,” he commented.

“We recognise that, but the season we’ve had is what it is, and we cannot disregard that. Of course, we need to look ahead.”