'I fought for Jack' - does Grealish have Man City future?

Manchester City avoided nan unthinkable of missing retired connected adjacent season's Champions League - and leader Pep Guardiola past addressed his determination to time off Jack Grealish retired of nan squad for Sunday's last crippled of nan season.

City's destiny went down to nan past time of nan Premier League campaign, but a 2-0 victory complete Fulham connected nan banks of nan River Thames ensured they did not descend into nan Europa League and stay sitting proudly astatine Europe's apical array for a 15th consecutive season.

Attention tin now move to nan summer, erstwhile awesome changes are expected to a playing squad that Guardiola feels is excessively large and grounded to triumph a trophy for nan first clip successful 8 years.

One of nan biggest names heading for nan exit doorway could beryllium midfielder Grealish, who - for illustration nan remainder of his team-mates - has endured a play to forget.

"Don't inquire maine astir Jack," snapped Guardiola. "Who said I'm not happy pinch Jack? Rico [Lewis] was not selected, [James] McAtee was exceptional against Aston Villa and Wolves - why not inquire maine astir McAtee?

"It's thing individual pinch Jack. I americium nan personification who fought for him to travel present and nan personification who fought for him to enactment present this play and nan adjacent season. I americium nan 1 who said 'I want Jack Grealish'.

"Now he didn't travel because he didn't travel but not thing else. What happens successful nan early is simply a occupation for Txiki [Begiristain], Hugo [Viana] and nan agents."

Guardiola raised eyebrows aft Tuesday's triumph complete Bournemouth by saying he would "quit" City if he had specified a ample squad to negociate adjacent season.

He clarified successful Friday's news convention that it was a joke, but reiterated nan connection he needs to activity pinch a smaller group of players.

City person 32 players listed connected their charismatic website, truthful galore departures are likely.

But will Grealish beryllium 1 of them?

Asked astir his omission, leader Guardiola said: "It was selection. The past 2 months, period and-a-half location were 5 aliases six players astatine location each clip and this clip I decided for these guys. No much than that.

"Of course, Jack has to play. He's an unbelievable subordinate that has to play shot each 3 days. It didn't hap this play and past play either. He needs to do it - pinch america aliases different place.

"It's a mobility for Jack, his agent, and nan nine - if he stays it will beryllium good and he fought for illustration he fought from time 1 to make a publication but not today."

The guardant made a awesome publication successful nan club's Treble occurrence of nan Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup successful 2022-23, but has struggled to replicate his champion shape since - and his days astatine nan nine now look numbered.

Grealish has scored conscionable 4 Premier League goals crossed nan past 2 seasons and has go accustomed to being a substitute.

Signed for £100m from Aston Villa successful 2021, he grounded to characteristic against Palace successful past Saturday's FA Cup last defeat, pinch Guardiola alternatively handing a astonishment second-half debut to Argentine teen Claudio Echeverri.

Grealish's deficiency of regular games for City has besides affected his world ambitions, and he was "absolutely heartbroken" to beryllium near retired of England's Euro 2024 squad past summer.

Former City goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club that nan "writing is connected nan wall" for Grealish and he has to "see what is retired there" for his career.

It remains to beryllium seen whether he will beryllium selected for City's Fifa Club World Cup squad, pinch an expanded tourney starting successful nan United States connected 14 June.

What is known is that Kevin de Bruyne played his last crippled against nan Cottagers, bringing to an extremity a trophy-laden decade astatine nan club.

There does not look to beryllium immoderate measurement backmost for Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips and Maximo Perrone, who person each been retired connected indebtedness this season.

Guardiola signed defenders Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis successful January which could spell nan extremity for nan injury-prone duo of John Stones and Nathan Ake.

Goalkeeper Ederson was heavily-linked pinch a move to Saudi Arabia past summertime and those rumours whitethorn resurface. Third-choice Scott Carson is retired of statement this summer, while reports suggest midfielder Bernardo Silva wants a caller situation distant from nan Premier League.

And what astir Ilkay Gundogan? The 34-year-old midfielder re-joined from Barcelona successful nan summertime and has grounded to deed nan aforesaid heights arsenic his first spell, but did people a stunning bicycle footwear against Fulham.

It will beryllium an important play of modulation disconnected nan transportation too. Guardiola's long-time subordinate Begiristain, who he has enjoyed truthful overmuch occurrence pinch astatine some City and Barcelona, will time off this summertime and Viana has already started arsenic nan caller head of football.

Qualifying for nan Champions League is worthy much than £100m for English teams and City are successful a beardown position to walk this summer, having posted a grounds gross of £715m successful their latest accounts, pinch an wide pre-tax profit of £73.8m.

One subordinate they won't beryllium moving for - astatine this shape - is Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz owning to nan costs of doing a deal, but Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White remains of liking while AC Milan's Tijjani Reijnders has been heavily linked, external pinch a move to Etihad Stadium.

"I don't person that feeling," Guardiola said of a rebuild. "Maybe nan nine is simply a small different but I person 24 players and I saw them training nan different time and said really bully they are.

"New faces will come, particularly successful positions wherever we are weaker, but I don't deliberation a lot. We person players nether statement who want to enactment present and I don't want a batch of players."

City will beryllium gladsome to spot nan backmost of a disappointing run but don't person to hold agelong to make amends, returning to action successful conscionable 24 days' clip astatine nan Club World Cup.

The onshore of opportunity awaits and whitethorn supply nan first measurement to redemption for Guardiola and his men.