Pep Guardiola gives brutal one-word verdict on Jack Grealish’s latest Man City snub

Manchester City’s final Premier League game of the 2025 season against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday delivered a shock for many observers as Jack Grealish was conspicuously absent from the squad. The highly-touted winger, a £100million signing from Aston Villa in 2021, did not even travel with the team, a clear indication of his current standing under manager Pep Guardiola. This latest omission has intensified speculation surrounding Grealish’s future at the Etihad Stadium, casting a shadow over what should have been a celebratory end to the season for City, who needed a win to secure their Champions League spot.

Grealish’s exclusion for this crucial match is not an isolated incident but rather the culmination of a challenging season for the 29-year-old. He has managed to start only one Premier League game throughout 2025, a stark contrast to his earlier seasons with the club. Furthermore, the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, which saw City suffer a 1-0 defeat, saw Grealish relegated to the substitutes’ bench for the entirety of the match, an event that deeply frustrated fans and pundits alike.

Guardiola, known for his meticulous squad management and often surprising team selections, faced tough decisions heading into the Fulham fixture. With an undeniably inflated squad boasting an abundance of world-class talent, the Catalan coach was always going to leave some high-profile players disappointed. In another significant decision, midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne, playing his final game for the club before a free transfer, was also benched, with the dynamic Jeremy Doku preferred in the starting XI.

During his pre-match interview, Guardiola was inevitably quizzed on his selection choices. When asked about the difficulty of dropping a player of De Bruyne’s stature, Guardiola acknowledged the challenge. “It always is,” he responded, “for him especially, and for other players as well. Players want to play. It will be a tough game, physical, but maybe I decide [it’s better to give] a few minutes at the end for Kevin.” This provided a degree of insight into his thought process regarding the Belgian.

However, when the line of questioning turned to Jack Grealish, Guardiola’s response was notably terse and revealing. Asked directly about Grealish’s absence, the City boss simply shot back with a singular, dismissive word: “Selection.” There was no further elaboration, no nuanced explanation, nor any hint of the tactical rationale behind leaving the England international at home. This blunt brevity only served to fuel the existing narrative of a growing rift or a loss of faith in Grealish’s contributions.

The lack of explanation from Guardiola is particularly concerning given the critical juncture Grealish finds himself in. The upcoming summer transfer window is poised to be a pivotal period for the winger, with widespread whispers suggesting that his time at Manchester City may be drawing to a close. His £100 million transfer fee in 2021 made him the most expensive English player at the time, and his current situation represents a significant depreciation of that investment in terms of on-field impact.

Reports indicate that Grealish is expected to hold imminent talks with City’s influential directors of football, Txiki Begiristain and Hugo Viana. These discussions will be crucial in clarifying his position within the club and determining the path forward. The outcome of these meetings will undoubtedly shape the next chapter of his career, as he seeks to regain the form and consistent playing time that made him such a captivating figure at Aston Villa.

Guardiola has previously sidestepped questions about Grealish’s role, most notably after the FA Cup final. In that match, chasing an equaliser against Crystal Palace, Guardiola opted to bring on 19-year-old Claudio Echeverri ahead of Grealish. When pressed on that decision, Guardiola’s response was equally evasive: “We didn’t talk, I didn’t talk with him.” He further deflected responsibility for player futures onto the club’s administrative hierarchy, stating, “I’m saying these things, and people don’t believe me, but it belongs to the agents and the club and Txiki, in this case, and Hugo as well. Both will decide. What is going to happen will happen, but we are going to start to play again, but of course he has to come back to play minutes to start to play again.” This consistent narrative of leaving player decisions to others, while being the ultimate arbiter of selection, further complicates the understanding of Grealish’s predicament.

The situation has prompted strong reactions from football pundits and former players. Legendary striker Alan Shearer, for instance, has been unequivocal in his assessment, urging Grealish to seek a move away from the Etihad to a club where he can secure more regular playing time. Shearer’s advice comes with the 2026 World Cup firmly in mind, as Grealish will undoubtedly be battling for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

After the FA Cup final snub, Shearer didn’t mince words, stating, “His time is up at Man City, he has to leave.” He elaborated on his reasoning, highlighting Guardiola’s decision to prioritize a debutant young player and a more established midfielder like Ilkay Gundogan over Grealish when a goal was desperately needed. “For him (Guardiola) to bring a debutant on, a young boy and (Ilkay) Gundogan on when they’re desperate for a goal rather than Jack Grealish… his time is up, he’s done at Man City, he has to leave.”

Shearer’s critique was sharp and direct, positing that Guardiola has seemingly lost faith in the player. “For whatever reason, Pep’s done with him, he doesn’t like him, his time is up it really is.” This sentiment resonates with many who have observed Grealish’s diminishing role and the seemingly cold shoulder he has received from the manager in recent months. The transfer market will be buzzing with speculation regarding Grealish’s next destination, with several clubs likely to be interested in acquiring a player of his undeniable talent, provided he can recapture his form and confidence.

The public nature of these snubs and the manager’s reluctance to offer substantive explanations only add to the intrigue surrounding Grealish’s future. It presents a stark contrast to his initial integration into the City squad, where he was seen as a key component of their attacking thrust. The dynamic has clearly shifted, and the “brutal one-word verdict” from Guardiola speaks volumes about the current state of affairs between the manager and his £100 million man. The summer promises to be a period of significant change for Jack Grealish, as he confronts the reality of a potentially premature departure from Manchester City.