Jack Grealish might have lost his place in Pep Guardiola’s Man City starting lineup but evidence suggests that he is still well adored by fans, some of whom were seen crying upon seeing him.
The England international is currently with the Man City squad in New York where they will face AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at the Yankee Stadium.
Grealish is trying to find his way back into Guardiola’s plans after losing his place in the Man City starting XI last season, particularly in the Premier League where he started just 10 games as the Citizens grabbed their fifth league title in six seasons.
The arrival and subsequent performances of Jeremy Doku, who arrived from Rennes the previous summer, added more salt to his wounds, and the acquisition of Sávio could worsen his situation if he doesn’t find a way back to top form.
Though, he still has the backing of his manager Pep Guardiola who has tipped the former Aston Villa for success in the coming campaign, following their defeat to local rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
“He will be back. He’s struggled this season and Jeremy has made an incredible step forward as everyone has seen in the last games. But Jack will be back at the level of last season, I’m pretty sure.” said Guardiola on Grealish’s Man City prospects.
Despite this, the Man City boss gave Grealish a stark warning to prove himself earlier this year if he wants to be a part of the Citizens’ success during their upcoming campaign.
Grealish was part of the Manchester City preseason training camp and was involved in their friendly against Celtic at the Kenan Memorial Stadium in North Carolina, United States.
The Citizens have now moved to New York where they will continue their preparation for the new season with a game against Italian giants AC Milan.
Upon the Premier League champions’ arrival in the famous city, some fans were star-stucked upon seeing Grealish and couldn’t hide their emotions. In the video below, young American fans are seen breaking down into tears after meeting the Man City midfielder.
The fans must also be relishing the opportunity to see the 28-year-old in action against the Rossoneri, with Man City’s pre-season clash kicking off at 11PM BST tonight.