Jack Grealish, the charismatic Manchester City winger, faces a defining moment in his career as England manager Thomas Tuchel delivered a stark message following his exclusion from the latest Three Lions squad for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Senegal in June 2025. The 29-year-old, once a cornerstone of England’s attack, has been sidelined by a lack of playing time at club level, prompting Tuchel to urge him to seek regular football to revive his international prospects. With the 2026 World Cup looming, Grealish’s absence from both the England squad and Manchester City’s upcoming Club World Cup roster underscores the urgency of his situation, casting doubt on his future at the Etihad Stadium.
Grealish’s £100 million transfer from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021 marked him as Britain’s most expensive footballer, and his flair was instrumental in City’s 2022-23 treble-winning campaign. However, his 2024-25 season has been a struggle, with just seven Premier League starts and a mere 34 minutes of league action since January. Pep Guardiola’s preference for wingers like Jeremy Doku, Savinho, and January signing Omar Marmoush has relegated Grealish to the bench, and his omission from City’s FA Cup final squad against Crystal Palace was a low point. Tuchel, speaking before England’s 1-0 win over Andorra, was candid about Grealish’s predicament: “He needs to make himself available by playing. I think it’s one of his key strengths. To go every three days and get better and better with every minute that he has in his legs. That’s what is missing, nothing else.”
Tuchel’s admiration for Grealish is unmistakable. “I love Jack. As a headline, I love Jack. I love everything about him. I love his personality, I love his quality,” he said, praising the winger’s courage under pressure. “The guy has courage, he can take the heat, he’s not afraid of the Bernabeu whistles when he’s on the ball, it does not affect him and if it affects him only in the best way.” Yet, Tuchel emphasized that Grealish’s lack of rhythm—exacerbated by injuries and inconsistent selection—has made his inclusion untenable. In a private conversation after the FA Cup final, Grealish admitted his struggles, telling Tuchel, “Listen, Thomas, I’m not a start-stop player. It is so hard for me to influence a match from the bench and then be on the bench again, and then two weeks later I start again.” Tuchel agreed, noting, “The more he plays, the better he gets and then he becomes a proper machine.”
The England snub is a wake-up call for Grealish, who has 39 caps but hasn’t featured since a 3-1 Nations League win over Finland in October 2024 under interim manager Lee Carsley. His exclusion from Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad still stings, and Tuchel’s decision to favor players like Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford, who have more game time, underscores the competitive depth in England’s attacking ranks. “He has the character to be the glue in a team,” Tuchel said, highlighting Grealish’s ability to connect with teammates, but added a caution about his off-field behavior. Recent headlines about Grealish’s nights out in Newcastle and East Manchester prompted Tuchel to remark, “Of course, it’s not ideal if he’s in the newspapers and out there in public, but it’s maybe also not only his fault. It’s not ideal, we want to have him more calm.”
Speculation about Grealish’s future is rife, with a summer exit from Manchester City seeming likely. Newcastle United have emerged as a potential destination, with a loan move mooted to provide the regular minutes Tuchel demands. A return to Aston Villa, where Grealish captained the side to Premier League promotion in 2019, has been floated, though financial constraints make it unlikely. Former England defender John Terry, who coached Grealish at Villa, urged him to consider his options: “Jack is an unbelievable talent and I think he’s at his best when he’s got freedom. He needs a manager to give him the license to be Jack Grealish. England means the world to him.” A Spurs fan on talkSPORT suggested Tottenham as an ideal fit, arguing, “Ange Postecoglou will let him play and that’s what he needs.”
With only six international camps before the 2026 World Cup, Grealish’s window to impress Tuchel is narrowing. His exclusion from City’s Club World Cup squad, set for June 14 to July 13, further dims his prospects unless he secures a move. “My thoughts are still the same,” Tuchel reiterated. “He is a very unique player who can handle big pressure on the field. He grows in big matches, but he’s a player who needs minutes and minutes and minutes.” As Grealish navigates this critical juncture, his next move could determine whether he reclaims his status as England’s talismanic winger or fades from the international stage.
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