Jack Grealish Likely to Leave Manchester City – Shay Given Says He’d Instantly Improve Liverpool or Chelsea
Jack Grealish appears set to leave Manchester City this summer, and according to his former teammate Shay Given, the midfielder would be a starter for any Premier League side — including top clubs like Liverpool and Chelsea.
Once a central figure in City’s treble-winning season two years ago, Grealish has since seen his role diminish. He started just 16 matches in all competitions in the 2024-25 season and was left out of the squad for City’s final Premier League game and benched for the FA Cup final, where 19-year-old Claudio Echeverri was chosen ahead of him.
Despite his £100m price tag — still the highest fee ever paid for a British player — Grealish’s future at the Etihad is uncertain, especially with Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders expected to join the club. Reports suggest Grealish could be sold for around £40 million, with Tottenham, Newcastle, and his former club Aston Villa among the interested parties.
Given, who played with Grealish at Aston Villa, still rates him highly. Recalling a standout England performance against Ireland last year, Given believes Grealish has several peak years left and would shine in a central midfield role, not on the wings.
“He still gets into any team in the country, including Liverpool and Chelsea,” Given told Metro. “He’s hungry to prove himself again.”
Grealish is also unlikely to be included in City’s squad for the FIFA Club World Cup, where they’ll face Wydad AC on June 18 in Philadelphia. While City would prefer a permanent transfer to clear his £300k-per-week wages, a loan move could be considered.
Though Given acknowledges Grealish might still have a future at City, he encourages the midfielder to find a club where he’ll play regularly and regain form.
“Maybe this isn’t the end of the road,” Given said, “but right now, he just wants to be playing football again.”
