Manchester City have started taking steps to prepare for their upcoming season.
In their pre-season tour of America, Pep Guardiola’s side have completed friendly matches against Celtic, AC Milan and Barcelona, with numerous senior and academy players getting some minutes on the pitch.
With the 2024/25 season around the corner, a pundit and former top-flight manager has shared his praise for one particular player in the City squad and what he’s said to the media recently.
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Alan Pardew backs Jack Grealish to shine for Man City this season
In a recent press conference (via The Guardian), Jack Grealish admitted that while he was heartbroken about not being picked in the England squad for the 2024 European Championship, he will use this as motivation to attack the new season ahead of him.
This then led to Alan Pardew saying this on the matter on talkSPORT (31/7 08:10).
He said: “He doesn’t go to England, he goes on social media and he’s showing his training and he’s on it. He’s going to come back fitter and stronger and it looks like he’s done that.
“There’s a couple of openings for Jack, I think, in that Man City situation because [Kevin] De Bruyne, I think we all know is coming [to the end of his career]. If he plays 20 games next year I’ll be surprised. I think he’s going to be used here and there.
“So Jack, putting him through the middle, I’d love for Pep to give him a chance through the middle or as a number 10.
“I think he can [play on the right] because he naturally can move both ways, he’s a right-footer obviously but he likes that left side because he comes inside. That doesn’t mean he can’t play on the right and come inside from that channel.
“I just love him as a player, I think he’s a player who definitely needs a boost. If I was around him I would say you’ve really got to focus now. Even if he doesn’t make that starting lineup for the first game, just keep that fight going all through the season.
“I genuinely think he’s reacted in the right manner and I think that will be good for Pep and Man City.”
Grealish needs to deliver this season
Back in June, Gabby Agbonlahor predicted that the disappointment of not going to the Euros would be a spark for the City star to get himself back on track in the upcoming campaign.
Prior to him being snubbed for England, the winger admitted in an interview with The Athletic that his previous season at City was a difficult one in terms of having to deal with matters on and off the pitch.
Having started just 10 of the 20 Premier League games he appeared in last term, this further highlights why Grealish is keen to prove any doubters wrong this time around.
