Guardiola must now sell Man City flop who earns more than Foden & Rodri.
When the first ball was kicked to start the 2024/25 campaign in the Premier League, Manchester City supporters must have been dreaming of a fifth straight top-flight title coming home to the Etihad by the end of yet another sterling season.
Although there is still time for City to right their wrongs, it looks unlikely that another title will be heading to the light blue half of Manchester come the close of the 38-game marathon, as Arne Slot’s Liverpool now sit pretty at the top of the division as the new top dogs whilst Pep Guardiola’s men unexpectedly struggle.
Indeed, City have already tasted the bitterness of defeat six times this season from 20 games, which leaves them scrambling about to save their damaged ego all the way down in sixth position.
Rodri’s injury hasn’t helped proceedings whatsoever for the usual dominant force of English football, as the Ballon d’Or winner has made just two appearances all season long, but those who have been fit week in week out who continue to underperform haven’t exactly got much credit in the bank anymore.
Main City’s main underperformers this season
There have also been an alarming amount of injuries in defence for Guardiola to cope with, as John Stones and Nathan Ake have both been regularly situated in the Etihad treatment room to further ramp up City’s woes.
But, there is still arguably enough quality brimming throughout the City ranks – even when acknowledging that bad luck with injuries – to mean a sixth-place finish would be a gross underachievement, with Ilkay Gundogan one face that has been way off the pace required of him all season long.
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The ex-Borussia Dortmund man is definitely a victim of his own success here, with his presence in the side previously seen as paramount, especially when he was firing home strikes like the one above to aid his team’s quest for silverware on some grand stages just last year.
The 2022/23 season saw the German midfielder pick up an impressive eight goals and five assists just in the Premier League alone, meaning his exit to Barcelona at the end of the campaign was one that was met with anguish that City had ended up losing such a top quality servant.
Now, if Gundogan was to walk away from the club shortly, there wouldn’t be that same outpouring of sadness, with the ageing midfielder only managing one weak assist in league action for 2024/25, alongside a failure to find the net.
Galatasaray are allegedly keen on landing the declining 34-year-old this summer, with City unlikely to stand in his way, considering his wages also come in at a steep £230k-per-week.
He isn’t the only high earner that Guardiola will be getting increasingly irritated over, however, with one of Gundogan’s teammates in the middle pocketing way more than even his own substantial pay packet, whilst also finding himself nearing ever closer towards the exit door.
Jack Grealish’s future at Manchester City
Jack Grealish was always going to be an easy figure to attack after he made an extortionate £100m switch to City a reality back in 2021, with that wild price tag likely to bite him down the line if he wasn’t a rip-roaring success in Manchester.
Moreover, unlike his presence at boyhood employers Aston Villa where he was a constant source of entertainment as a flashy attacker, City already had a star-studded camp that could all excite and enthral on their day.
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Therefore, the move has fallen somewhat flat, with Grealish never quite expressing himself in the same way he could at Villa, where outrageous moments of quality from the England international were just expected.
Instead, his minutes haven’t always been regular – with just six league starts coming his way so far this campaign – which has led to his goal contributions depleting season by season playing at the Ethiad, resulting in his £100m fee now looking like a big waste of cash.
Besides a positive 2022/23 output, Grealish has struggled to be that standout star-man at City, with his spot in the main XI at the reigning Premier League champions now handed to fresh blood in the form of Savinho.
Guardiola has even stated that the Brazilian – who does boast five more goal contributions than his ex-Villa counterpart in league action – is in ‘better shape’ away from just being more reliable in attack, with Grealish presumably nearing the end of his tether even more subsequently.
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Whilst City wouldn’t be able to get rid of Grealish for anywhere near his previous £100m valuation now, at least offloading the underperforming midfielder this January would see some space on the wage bill be freed up.
Jack Grealish’s wage at Manchester City
Grealish reportedly earns a bumper £300k-per-week wage in Guardiola’s camp at the moment, with only Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland earning more.
But, both of those figures – as much as Haaland has been through the wringer this season himself with some poor displays – are still regulars under the Spaniard, unlike the Birmingham-born midfielder.
Unbelievably, even as he slides down the pecking order, Grealish still pockets the third joint highest salary at the club, with Phil Foden and Rodri even remarkably earning less at £225k-per-week and £220k-per-week respectively.
Whilst Foden will also be less than enthused with what he’s offered up this campaign, he can again boast more goals and assists in league action at three combined, with a goal last time out helping his improving side beat West Ham United 4-1.
Sometimes, major transfers just don’t end up working out, and in the case of Grealish, it feels as if the best decision this January would be to put the £300k-per-week man out of his misery so he can shine away from Manchester.
