Jack Grealish left Aston Villa to join Manchester City in August 2021 for a huge fee amounting to around £100 million and at the time the deal seemed to suit both parties.
Villa received a huge cash sum to invest in players all over the pitch and a player that felt he had achieved all he could at the club moved on. But Grealish’s time at City has not been entirely successful so far despite winning the Premier League title back in May.
Is winning trophies all that counts?
It could be argued that honours won during a player’s career are the most important asset and with City being the favourites in Champions League betting this season at 15/8 Grealish has a genuine opportunity to claim football’s greatest prize.
The other top seeds in the Champions League predictions include Bayern Munich at 5/1 and Paris Saint-Germain at 13/2 meaning Grealish will be playing against some of Europe’s top sides as they seek continental glory this season.
For some playing for one of the best teams in Europe and competing against other members of the European elite is the highest level that football can get.
But is it really worth it as a bit part player? Grealish has struggled to nail down a consistent starting spot in Pep Guardiola’s side and there have even been rumours of the City star wanting to leave with the Premier League champions potentially cutting their losses as soon as next summer.
If Grealish really does want to leave Manchester City then it is proof that there is little satisfaction in winning trophies while not being a regular starter.
Jack Grealish speaks on the differences between playing at Aston Villa to now being at Manchester City pic.twitter.com/A6gXmTRQsO
— Manchester City News (@ManCityMEN) September 21, 2022
Big fish in a small pond
Grealish for several years was Villa’s key man; the boyhood fan of the club stuck with the club through relegation and eventually spearheaded their Premier League return.
He looked like an absolute superstar every time he stepped onto the pitch at Villa Park and was a fan favourite that thrived under the intense atmosphere the Villa faithful creates.
But some may ask in hindsight following his City move and his opening year or so whether it was much easier to stand out at Villa and whether the pressure at City is too much for him to play his highest quality football.
It is seen with many stars of mid-table teams that when they join one of the bigger clubs that have an abundance of superstars, they fade away and struggle to impress. Perhaps even lose confidence in the face of increased competition of which Grealish has shown huge signs.
The playmaker was electric on the ball at Villa; beating man after man with ease, releasing the ball progressively and quickly. But at City he has been a shadow of his former self, often playing backwards and sideways passes, afraid to take risks and rarely taking his man on. His form has improved so far this season for City but it is still only a fraction of the quality he showed for Villa.
6 wins a row & the boys on fire 😃 lovely day at the Etihad 💙 pic.twitter.com/2ClcRwHBio
— Jack Grealish (@JackGrealish) October 8, 2022
One of Grealish’s key features was his constant progressive dribbling and the fact he has not shown that at City so far shows that his time there has not been a true reflection of his ability.
His City transfer has certainly not been the most successful move and perhaps he suited being the star man at Villa much more than he does being just another player at the Etihad.
