Manchester City’s transfer window could remain interesting to the very end, as Gabriel Agbonlahor predicts one major player to depart at the end of it.
It’s been a busy summer for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola works to rebuild his squad after last season’s failings.
Though a lot of the work was front-loaded in June, City are closing in on making James Trafford their sixth signing of the summer.
It was reported on Friday that City have matched Newcastle’s offer of £27m to bring Trafford back to the Etihad Stadium.
Perhaps surprisingly, Ederson is set to stay and remain as first choice, despite heavy links with Galatasaray and the goalkeeper’s admitted struggles last term.
One star first-teamer who is expected to depart the club this summer, though, is Jack Grealish.
The forward fell out of favour with Guardiola last season and has already been replaced by Rayan Cherki.
Grealish didn’t play a part in the Club World Cup, and he is currently training on his own this summer to keep his fitness levels high, though he will be allowed to train with his teammates in pre-season.
Gabriel Agbonlahor is hoping to see Grealish return to Aston Villa, but doesn’t believe he will get any move until the closing stages of the transfer window.
Gabriel Agbonlahor says Jack Grealish would get warm Aston Villa welcome
Speaking on TalkSport, Agbonlahor was asked by Alan Brazil for his thoughts on Grealish’s predicament.
He said: “I think sometimes with these sort of transfers, we saw Rashford’s gone now, but Sancho is looking to move as well.
“Some of these transfers will happen late in the window, I feel. With Jack, maybe coming to mid-August, end of the transfer window, that’s when I think that you’ll see him probably move.”
Not content with signing Kevin De Bruyne, Napoli are said to be interested in Grealish, while a romantic return to boyhood club Aston Villa continues to be mooted.
When asked how he thinks Villa fans would react to the club signing Grealish, who left for £100m in 2021, Agbonlahor said: “I think they would welcome him with open arms.
“Obviously, you get a few that will probably still not be happy, but everyone knows Jack is a Villa fan, deep down.
“He does love the club. What he’s done for Aston Villa, I think they would love him back.
“You never know, it comes into that late transfer window, Aston Villa have got big problems as well with financial fair play and who they can go and spend big money on, so it might work for Jack and for Villa.”
Ross McCormack urges Aston Villa to sign Jack Grealish from Man City
Agbonlahor isn’t the only former Villa striker who wants to see Grealish back in Birmingham, as Ross McCormack is desperate for the transfer to happen as well.
Also speaking on TalkSport, McCormack said: “The one for me is Grealish.
“I’d go and get him back in a heartbeat, an absolute heartbeat. I think he’s an unbelievable talent.”
Though Grealish struggled for form and fitness last season and hasn’t been at his best since the incredible Treble triumph of 2022-23, he remains a great player who would elevate Villa considerably.
With two years remaining on his contract, City are thought to be holding out for around £40m to sell him.
