Manchester City superstar set to be left out of their Club World Cup squad amid exit links: Reports

Manchester City star Jack Grealish will reportedly be left out of his team's squad for the FIFA Club World Cup this month. The Cityzens are set to commence their campaign in a group match against Wydad AC on June 18.

The news comes from journalist Matt Law, who says that the English winger could be leaving the Etihad Stadium in the summer. It seems reasonable for the former Aston Villa star to move, given he hasn't established his place as a starter in Pep Guardiola's team.

Providing an update about the situation on his X account (formerly Twitter), Law wrote:

"Exclusive: Jack Grealish to be left out of Club World Cup squad as Manchester City exit beckons. Plenty of Premier League and overseas interest anticipated."

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In the 2024/25 season, Grealish started just seven matches in the Premier League and four in the UEFA Champions League. Overall, he made 32 appearances across competitions, bagging three goals and five assists.

The 29-year-old winger joined Manchester City from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021 for a whopping €117.5 million. Since then, he's made 157 appearances across competitions, bagging 17 goals and 23 assists.

Despite an underwhelming return, Grealish has managed to lift three Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League trophy, among other honors in Manchester. If he is to remain at the Etihad, the Englishman will have to see off competition from Jeremy Doku and Omar Marmoush.

Manchester City eye summer move for Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri- Reports

Manchester City are reportedly confident of getting a deal for Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri across the line in the summer. According to The Guardian, the Algeria international is considered a primary target for Pep Guardiola this transfer window.

It looks as though the Cityzens are seriously considering signing a new left-back, with Guardiola primarily employing Josko Gvardiol in the role. The club have been linked with Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez as well, and are set to face competition from Liverpool for his signature.

As for Ait-Nouri, it is said that the Cityzens will have to pay around £50 million to Wolves in order to sign him. For now, the defender is contracted with his current employers only till the summer of 2026.

This could prompt Wolves to sell him in the summer in order to avoid losing the player for free in 2026. Ait-Nouri made 37 Premier League appearances this year, bagging four goals and seven assists.

About the author

Rahul has been a European football journalist for Sportskeeda since 2023. A B.B.A. L.L.B. graduate, he captained his university football team and also played for Boca Juniors Football School during his initial years, and also coached his university's girls team. He always aims to translate his tactical awareness, knowledge of the sport and first-hand experience into well-researched articles for his readers.

A follower of the beautiful game since 2014, Rahul is an avid Arsenal and a match-going Bengaluru FC fan. His favorite footballer is Mesut Ozil due to his love for nimble-footed playmakers, while his favorite manager is the legendary Arsene Wenger owing to the Frenchman's attractive style of football.

Rahul, whose favorite FIFA World Cup moment is Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in 2022, has interviewed grassroots expert Tom Byer in the past and gained insight into Japanese football. He also believes Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland can rule the footballing world and take Ronaldo and Messi's place.

When he is not writing, Rahul likes to spend his time playing football, following the Indian Super League and watching other sports. He is also a huge cricket fan and supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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Edited by Rahul Naresh