Jack Grealish has faced harsh criticism, with his boyhood club Aston Villa reportedly unwilling to consider re-signing him amid his ongoing struggles at Manchester City.
The England international midfielder, who became the most expensive player in British football history with his £100 million ($124 million) transfer to the Etihad Stadium in 2021, has enjoyed a trophy-laden spell, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup titles with City.
Despite these achievements, Grealish’s performance has been questioned, with only two goals recorded this season.
Critics have noted that he no longer seems to glide past defenders as he once did, and securing a starting position under Pep Guardiola has proven challenging.
Grealish is now 29 years of age and has seen a move elsewhere speculated on. Quizzed by GOAL on whether he could return to his roots in the West Midlands, ex-Villa striker Stan Collymore – speaking in association with William Hill Vegas – said: “No. I sincerely hope not. I think Jack’s output is nowhere near the required level.
“If you look at the two players that have been brought in, [Marco] Asensio and [Marcus] Rashford, they can play either side of Ollie Watkins. There is a question mark over both – can they do it, will they do it? They have got pedigree.
“Jack, really, going to Manchester City and being a part of the treble-winning team – even then he wasn’t the main man, that was Kevin De Bruyne. He was good but not great. Last season, a stat of scoring one goal in just over a year… I don’t think he goes past people any more. [Jeremy] Doku when he first came into the team did that, [Omar] Marmoush you imagine will do that.”