Manchester City fans are excited for the new season, and Enzo Maresca has a number of returning players to take decisions on, including Jack Grealish.
The club’s pre-season will soon commence, and it will be a chance for Pep Guardiola’s successor to take a good look at his new squad.
Those who have not been on international duty this summer are expected to return on July 20, while those who have are set to be given extra time off.
Should Jack Grealish or any of the other five returning loan players get a new lease of life at Man City in 26/27? 🤔
They have all been re-listed as City squad members on the club's official website…
For Maresca, these will be crucial weeks, as he looks to mount a challenge for the Premier League title in his first season at Manchester City.
It is going to be all change with the squad, with the likes of John Stones, Bernardo Silva and Nathan Ake all leaving already, and Elliot Anderson signing from Nottingham Forest.
But there are also the returning loanees to consider – and it will be especially interesting to see what happens with Jack Grealish.
Jack Grealish can make an impact for Man City again
Jack Grealish’s Manchester City days looked to be over when he sealed a loan move to Everton last summer – and they might still be.
However, the decision by Pep Guardiola to leave and the subsequent appointment of Maresca makes things less clear-cut.
It has been reported by TEAMtalk that Maresca is keen to look at Grealish in pre-season, and while Grealish has enjoyed his time at Everton, the idea of having a renaissance at City could also greatly appeal.
And he and five other returning loan players have all appeared on the club’s official website.
| Jack Grealish for Man City since 2021 transfer |
| Appearances – 157 |
| Goals – 17 |
| Assists – 23 |
And there is every chance Grealish could get a renaissance.
City are likely going to see Savinho this summer, with the Brazilian having failed to really live up to expectations two years on from his move.
If he went, that would only really leave Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku as wide options, although Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden have the capacity to operate on the wings. Ideally you want those two in the middle, though.
But Grealish obviously knows Maresca, with the Italian having been a part of Guardiola’s coaching staff.
Maresca has been known to favour slow, methodical build-up play, which often involves wingers hugging the touchline. Grealish could therefore suit the new manager’s style quite well.
Ultimately, he would bring something quite different to Doku and Semenyo, who are more direct options.
Grealish is a much more technical player than those two, and that technicality would be nice to have – especially following the loss of Bernardo Silva.
With Guardiola having left, it is undoubtedly a chance for him to turn over a new leaf. Joining Everton permanently is probably going to be tempting, because by many accounts he’s really liked his time there.
But he’s got one year left on his City deal, and realistically he will compete for trophies if he remains at the Etihad – and potentially play a key role under the new manager in the process.
