However, the City boss qualified that our new No. 10 was not ready to start our season’s curtain-raiser at Wembley Stadium.
Guardiola also provided an update on the progress of Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden who continue to recover from injuries sustained during this summer’s European Championships.
Grealish was part of the same England squad as Foden and new teammates Kyle Walker, John Stones and Raheem Sterling, which reached a first major international final in 55 years.
And after a prolonged rest period to help recharge the batteries ahead of the new season, the Catalan stated that our new midfielder wasn’t quite ready for a starting berth.
“He’s not ready to start at all,” the boss insisted when asked about Grealish’s chances of making his City debut.
“He was one week training alone but he’ll travel with us tomorrow to settle in the team and with meetings.
“He’ll be on the bench. After, we will see what happens but in the beginning? No way.
“Phil Foden will be still out for a while, he had a tough injury for the national team and couldn’t play the final.
“We have to be careful because we have to anticipate that it could be longer (if he comes back too soon).
“And Kevin (De Bruyne) is still out as well. I think he’ll come back a little quicker than Phil apparently, but both are still out for a while.”
Although it remains to be seen whether Grealish will make his City bow on Saturday evening, there are no doubts in Guardiola’s mind about the qualities he possesses.
With this in mind, he expects the England international to be a valuable addition to the squad, especially given his exploits with boyhood club Aston Villa in recent years.
He pointed out: “Normally top players adapt quickly to the physicality and know what to do.
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“I have the feeling he knows exactly what he has to do on the pitch, we suffered a lot against him and he moved perfectly in the positions we believe he can be decisive.
“I cannot forget with Villa in the Championship, many clubs wanted him but he decided to stay to promote the team.
“In the first year when he came back, in the last games to remain in the Premier League, he was more than exceptional, leading the team and made Villa continue in the Premier League.
“Last season, when he was able, they were 5th or 6th in the league, close to Champions League, but unfortunately after he was injured for two or three months and Villa dropped a little bit.
“When you see this mentality and quality, that’s why we thought ‘okay this is a guy who could help us to maintain the level and try to raise it for the next few years.’”
Despite his standout performances as Villa captain over the past two seasons, Guardiola conceded that Grealish might need time to adapt to the demands of European and domestic football.
Nonetheless, he believes the midfielder has been given the best possible platform to continue his rapid ascent.
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“He has to prove it to himself, he comes from a team who plays once a week and he will play three times a week,” the boss reflected.
“It’s a bit different but I’m pretty sure he’s able to do it.
“We will create the best environment for him to express his incredible talent on the pitch every three days.”
