Man City exit hits ‘massive’ road block as three signings Guardiola ‘wants’ before CWC are named
Serie A side Napoli are likely to struggle in their attempts to tie up a deal to sign Man City winger Jack Grealish in the summer, according to reports.
The Citizens have had a terrible season by their high standards with Pep Guardiola’s side way off the pace in the Premier League title race as Liverpool were crowned champions at the end of April.
Fourth-placed Man City are currently 18 points adrift of Arne Slot’s men as they head into their final two matches of the season.
Man City entered the January transfer market emphatically in order to make sure they secured Champions League football for next season with the signings of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah.
Guardiola’s team are still far from secure in terms of a Champions League place next term with the Citizens just two points ahead of sixth-placed Aston Villa and three in front of seventh-placed Nottingham Forest.
And they will probably have a different looking squad next season with Grealish one of a number of regulars who could leave in the summer.
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The England international has been attracting interest from Serie A side Napoli but Football Insider now claim that the Italian club ‘will struggle to complete a permanent deal’ for Grealish.
Grealish ‘will seek assurances’ from Guardiola about his playing time at the Etihad Stadium next season and the Man City winger ‘would be open to joining the Serie A title challengers – but sources say doing a permanent deal as well as meeting his “massive” wage demands will be a struggle for the Italian side’.
With Scotland internationals Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay proving to be a success in Naples, a move to the Serie A leaders ‘is appealing to the ex-Aston Villa star’.
But Napoli ‘may have to persuade Man City to accept a loan offer for the winger’ for Grealish, who has played a bit-part role under Guardiola this season.
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A report on Spanish website Fichajes insists that Guardiola ‘wants’ to bring in three players before the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento, AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, and Bayer Leverkusen attacker Florian Wirtz are the three signings that Man City are looking to sign before the mid-June start of the tournament.
Grealish has revealed his excitement ahead of the extended Club World Cup in the summer with 32 sides from around the world competing for the trophy.
Speaking on the new format, Grealish said: “I think it’s completely different, now you’re going somewhere with 32 teams.
“It’s a completely different format [to the previous tournament] but something that I think will be unbelievable if I’m honest.
“It’s something I’ve never heard of before, where you have that many teams in a group stage and then a knockout stage. I’ve been fortunate enough to play at the World Cup for England and it was unbelievable.
“I feel like it’ll be incredible, everyone’s looking forward to it and hopefully we can do well out there.”
On playing and winning for Man City in the previous format, Grealish added: “I remember when we won in December 2023, we played Fluminense.
“They were incredible, we ended up winning, but playing against these types of opposition, I’m not saying they see football differently, but it’s a completely different type to the way we play and see here.
“It was good, and obviously to do that again this summer will be a top experience.”
