Jack Grealish made a totally unexpected return to the Manchester City pitch on Sunday, subbing in for their disappointing 3-0 Community Shield defeat by Arsenal. This came after a season on loan with Everton, a move that made it seem like his City career was absolutely finished, but the Toffees never made it permanent. Now, the 30-year-old, who hadn’t even featured in pre-season games, is back in blue, and everyone’s asking: what now?
The Surprise Comeback: Just a Glimmer?
This appearance was a shocker! Grealish hadn’t even been with the team for their tour to Asia this summer, citing an injury. But there he was, replacing Jeremy Doku at halftime, with City already down 2-0 against Arsenal in Cardiff. He played 45 minutes on the left wing, his first appearance for the club since May 2025. Yeah, it’s been a minute! This was his 158th game for City, and he put in a couple of crosses while completing 21 of his 24 passes. BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin said he was “in good nick,” trying to create space and “put a couple of very good crosses in.” New boss Enzo Maresca even sounded positive, saying, “Overall, Jack was good.” Maresca added that anyone still with the team “are going to work every day, and if they deserve it they are going to get minutes.” But then he hit us with the kicker: “The transfer window is open and we will see what happens.” Talk about putting everyone on edge!
From Treble Glory to Transfer Talk: What Went Wrong?
Remember when City paid a massive £100m for Grealish from Aston Villa in 2021? He was a regular starter in his first two seasons, even helping them win the Treble in 2022-23 and playing in that Champions League final against Inter Milan. Then things just evaporated. In 2023-24, he started just 10 Premier League games, with Jeremy Doku basically taking his spot. By 2024-25, he fell out of favor even more, starting only seven league games. Former boss Pep Guardiola was blunt, saying, “He is the same player, he has the same manager and the way we play has not changed. It’s just the way he has performed. That’s the difference.” Grealish himself hinted at off-field problems, and many felt Guardiola’s style had taken the magic out of his game. He was left out of the Club World Cup squad, and his last of 39 England caps was way back in October 2024. His loan to Everton last season started like a dream under David Moyes, winning Player of the Month in August after bagging four assists in his first three league games. Then, an injury halted his momentum halfway through the campaign. What a rollercoaster!
So, What’s Next for the Comeback Kid?
So here we are, watching Grealish back on the field, kinda. He got some minutes, showed a few flashes. But with Maresca’s comments about the transfer window still being wide open, and his turbulent history, nobody knows if this is a genuine lifeline or just a shop window showing. Will the £100m man actually make a case to stay and fight for his spot, or is this just a temporary pit stop before another move? It’s a huge question mark hanging over City as the season gets rolling, and it feels like the stakes for Grealish couldn’t be higher.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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