Mirror Drops the Bomb: New Man City Boss Maresca Gives Grealish a Last Chance

At Manchester City, the end of one era and the beginning of another are happening simultaneously. Pep Guardiola's departure from the club after 10 years and 20 trophies brought a new coach for the next step: Enzo Maresca. According to a Daily Mirror report by Jeremy Cross, one of the Italian coach's first acts at City will be to give English star Jack Grealish, who has reached a career crossroads, one more last chance.

Grealish's recent years have not been easy. The 30-year-old English player fell out of favor during Guardiola's era, and was even excluded from the FIFA Club World Cup squad last season. He spent this season on loan at Everton under David Moyes. With the Toffees shirt, he produced 2 goals and 6 assists in 22 matches (19 of which were starts). But the stress fracture in his foot in January 2026 ended his season; the injury also took away his World Cup chance.

Maresca's view of Grealish is very different from Guardiola's era. The Italian coach served as Guardiola's assistant during City's historic treble (Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League) success in the 2022-23 season. During this process, he formed a strong personal bond with Grealish, witnessing the player's best years up close.

According to the Mirror, Maresca plans to call Grealish into preseason training rather than permanently selling him. The Italian coach's tactical system (possession-based play) is extremely suitable for Grealish's style. This situation can be read as a move that confirms the thesis that the player's fall from favor was essentially due to a stylistic mismatch.

The financial side is also clear. Grealish came to City for £100 million, the British transfer record at the time, in summer 2021; he will enter the final 12 months of his contract. If Maresca's plan turns into reality and Grealish stays at City, the player could turn from a financial loss into an asset for his club.

In conclusion, a crossroads appears on Grealish's career path. According to Mirror's information, departure is no longer seen as the option and gives way to the possibility of starting again. For Grealish, who could be part of Maresca's project, this will be a last chance in the dilemma between saving his career or completely falling from favor.

Source: Based on the Daily Mirror report by Jeremy Cross, with quotes carried by Yahoo Sports, TEAMtalk, and OneFootball.