Pep Guardiola has defended Jack Grealish’s form and says the playmaker ‘doesn’t need goals’ to succeed at the club.
The England international came under fire following City’s 3-1 win at leeds United for passing up a number of opportunities in front of goal.
Grealish managed just six goals in 39 appearances in all competitions during his debut season at City following a £100m move from Aston Villa.
The midfielder has just one goal to his name so far this term and his influence on the side is not what it was when he captained Villa.
Jack Grealish has scored once this season(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
But, despite criticism, Grealish did provide two assists in the win against Leeds and he remains under favour with Guardiola.
And the Spaniard says Grealish does not need to find the back of the net to convince him of his merit of staying in the team.
Grealish has seven goals since joining City (CameraSport Copyright: 2022 CameraSport
‘Jack doesn’t need goals to change my opinion,’ said Guardiola.
‘Since day one, we’ve been delighted with Jack. I know the role he had at Aston Villa, it was completely different. ‘Maybe he has to adapt to our environment, but since day one, he’s set out perfectly
‘Of course we want to score goals – he’s the first [to say that].‘But he always plays to a good level. When the ball arrives to him, rarely he will lose the ball. And that’s what we want.’
City take on Everton in their final fixture of 2022, with the Toffees visiting the Etihad on Saturday.
Guardiola’s side trail leaders Arsenal by five points, having played the same number of matches.
Manchester City ready to offer €12 million-a-year deal to Rafael Leao
Manchester City have been in contact with the entourage of AC Milan winger Rafael Leao over the possibility of a deal in January.
According to DAZN, Manchester City are ready to offer Rafael Leao a lucrative contract worth €12 million per year to bring him to the Etihad. The Citizens are also prepared to place a bid worth €120 million to AC Milan. The Portuguese international is also a target for Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Rafael Leao will enter the penultimate year of his contract in the summer transfer window. And his contract situation has captured the attention of Real Madrid. But the 23-year-old is also a top target for Manchester United.
Manchester City brought in Erling Haaland to put an beef up the offensive unit. And the Norwegian striker has taken very little time to announce his arrival. The Citizens are also well stacked in the wide-attacking department, with the likes of Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez chipping in with useful contributions.
But there have been concerns regarding the long-term futures of Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish. Grealish could be termed as a severe flop, as he is yet to hit the form since his big-money move from Aston Villa. And recent reports have claimed that Manchester City might sell the Englishman to raise funds to sign Jude Bellingham.
With Grealish unable to provide the desired impact, Manchester City could be open to selling him. So the Premier League champions could definitely use a more lethal option on the left. And Leao, who has already has marked his presence felt with goals after goals in Serie A, has emerged as a viable target.
11 goal contributions in 14 league matches speak volumes about his talent. In addition, Leao was also on target a couple of times at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Milan have offered fresh new terms worth €7 million per year. But Manchester City’s offer of a €12 million salary could be a deal-breaker. In addition, the Citizens are ready to submit a bid worth €120 million to AC Milan.
Leao has hinted that he will be open to a move to a new league in future, and that could encourage Guardiola to step up their efforts when the transfer window reopens next month. Real Madrid are also monitoring Leao’s progress as the Spanish giants are searching for a suitable replacement for Eden Hazard, who has not been at his best since his transfer from Chelsea.
AC Milan can be lured by the €120 million bid. But their priority has been to extend his stay beyond 2024, as the Portuguese winger has played a vital role in their recent revival. It will be interesting to see if Manchester City can beat Real Madrid to his signature.
Source: metro.co.uk; thehardtackle.com
