Jack Grealish, once hailed as one of England’s most electrifying talents, finds himself at a career crossroads as the 2025-26 Premier League season looms. The 29-year-old midfielder, who commanded a record-breaking £100 million transfer fee when he joined Manchester City from Aston Villa in 2021, has been labeled “unfairly treated” by pundits and urged to seek a fresh start at Arsenal to rediscover his spark. With Pep Guardiola seemingly sidelining the winger, Grealish’s limited game time and exclusion from key matches have fueled speculation about his future, raising questions about whether a move to the Gunners could reignite his faltering career.
Grealish’s journey at Manchester City has been a tale of highs and lows. During the 2022-23 season, he played a pivotal role in City’s historic Treble, contributing to victories over Arsenal, RB Leipzig, and Real Madrid, and starting in both the Champions League and FA Cup finals. His flair and ability to carry the ball, honed during his days as Aston Villa’s talisman, made him a fan favorite. However, injuries and inconsistent form have since plagued him, with only seven Premier League starts in the 2024-25 season. A groin and hamstring injury sidelined him for 59 days, costing him 15 matches, and his last goal for City came in December 2023—a stark contrast to his prolific final season at Villa, where he notched 16 goal contributions in 26 appearances.
The turning point came during City’s FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace in 2025, where Grealish remained an unused substitute. Former England striker Alan Shearer didn’t mince words, declaring, “His time’s up at Man City. He has to leave. For Pep Guardiola to bring on a debutant, a young boy, and Ilkay Gundogan instead of Jack Grealish, his time is up.” Shearer’s scathing assessment, echoed by pundit Micah Richards, pointed to a fractured relationship with Guardiola, who has openly challenged Grealish to “fight” for his place. Richards lamented, “It’s sad because sometimes a move just doesn’t work out, but I feel like Jack’s played within himself.” The decision to omit Grealish from City’s FIFA Club World Cup squad in June 2025 further underscored his diminished role, with Guardiola stating, “We decided he has to play, and the club was honest, he’s an exceptional player, but he needs to find a place where he can play every three days.”
Arsenal has emerged as a potential destination, with former Premier League champion Colin Hendry urging the Gunners to pursue the £40 million-rated star. “You can’t win what he has done and have the career he’s had without having something about you,” Hendry said, emphasizing Grealish’s potential to “express himself” under Mikel Arteta’s dynamic system. Arsenal’s interest comes as they seek to bolster their squad after missing out on Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams. Grealish’s versatility, particularly his effectiveness cutting in from the left—a role where he thrived at Villa—could complement Arsenal’s attacking setup alongside players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. However, his £300,000-a-week wages and City’s reluctance to sell at a loss pose significant hurdles.
Grealish’s struggles extend beyond club football. His exclusion from England’s Euro 2024 squad and subsequent national team snubs under Thomas Tuchel have raised alarms about his World Cup prospects in 2026. Tuchel reportedly emphasized the need for regular club minutes, a challenge Grealish has failed to meet at City. Despite a brief resurgence in a free-roaming No. 10 role under interim England boss Lee Carsley, where he shone against Ireland and Finland, Grealish has struggled to replicate that form at City. Guardiola briefly experimented with him in a similar role against Nottingham Forest, praising his “pace” and “control,” but the experiment was short-lived.
Off the pitch, Grealish’s personal life has also drawn attention. Social media images of him at a Newcastle social club and a London hotspot sparked debate, though Guardiola dismissed concerns, stating, “A day off is a day off.” However, the scrutiny, coupled with a traumatic home burglary in 2023, has added pressure to an already challenging period. Grealish’s contract, running until 2027, gives City leverage, but interest from clubs like Everton, Napoli, and even Barcelona—albeit at a reduced £34 million valuation—suggests a transfer is increasingly likely.
As the transfer window approaches, Grealish faces a defining moment. A move to Arsenal could offer a chance to rediscover the “butterflies in his stomach,” as Guardiola put it, and revive the maverick who once dazzled the Premier League. For now, the winger’s future hangs in the balance, with the football world watching to see if he can reclaim his place among the elite.
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