The 25-year-old has joined on a six-year deal and will wear the No.10 shirt vacated by Sergio Aguero.
Widely regarded as one of the most exciting and creative players in the Premier League, City’s capture of Grealish unsurprisingly grabbed the attention of the back pages, social media and sports bulletins.
You can see how a selection of the media, pundits and players reacted below…
The independent: why grealish is everything Guardiola wants in a player
Mark Critchley writes:
“Despite all those attempts at provocation, Grealish has of late performed at a level that few players in the world are capable of reaching.
“Last season, his underlying statistics made a stratospheric leap and despite his reputation as a romantic throwback to English football’s more innocent maverick era, Grealish is known to closely keep track of his performance levels by taking an interest in such modern age numbers.
“That often means measuring himself up to the only player in the Premier League who bettered him for assists, expected assists and key passes during their respective time on the pitch last season: his new team-mate, Kevin De Bruyne.”
BBC: Grealish a measure of city’s ambition
Simon Stones writes:
“It is a measure of the drive of Pep Guardiola and the ambition of Manchester City that despite having one of the best group of creative players in Europe, Jack Grealish was targeted to improve them.
“Grealish has proved in extended moments that he has the vision and invention to excel at the highest level.”
Welcome to the team @JackGrealish
— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) August 5, 2021
Time to get to work👏
Paul Dickov
Speaking to Sky Sports, our former striker and Matchday Live pundit said:
“It’s a lot of money and I think we all know that, but I think Jack Grealish is not only one of the best midfielders in England, but one of the best midfielders in Europe.
“You look at his form for Aston Villa, the chances he has created and it’s going to be pretty ominous for everybody else when you put him in a team with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, you could go on and on with these wonderful attacking players.
“For Jack Grealish being at the very top of his game already, being under Pep Guardiola, you can tell he is only going to get better.”
The Independent: grealish will continue to stand out
Sean Taylor writes:
“He has showed he belongs at the top level.
“His exceptional ability to dribble at pace and draw fouls. Lashings of creativity. Slicked back hair. Rolled down socks revealing shin pads not much bigger than a postage stamp.
“Grealish has no trouble standing out on the football pitch, and that will continue at Manchester City.”
That KDB x Grealish connection gonna be delicious to watch ⚡️
— Nigel de Jong (@NDJ_Official) August 5, 2021
Welcome to the club! @JackGrealish
The Guardian: Grealish can be Manchester City game-breaker
Jonathan Wilson writes:
“Grealish has something extra, a capacity for the imaginatively explosive, that sets him apart.
“He scored six goals and set up 10 others – only Kane and Bruno Fernandes registered more assists – in the Premier League last season. Only De Bruyne created shooting opportunities at a faster rate.
“Only Fernandes created more passes in open play that led to a shot. No forward progressed the ball a greater distance towards the opposition goal.
“But there is something less tangible too, the aura of mischievous self-belief that means that when he gets the ball, there is a sense of expectation that other players cannot generate.”
Premier League: Grealish can take Man City up a level
Adrian Clarke writes:
“The talented playmaker has all the tools to improve Manchester City instantly after completing his move from Aston Villa.
“No individual created more chances from open play per 90 minutes (2.88) than the 25-year-old last season.
“On top of that, the only Premier League player to have produced assists at a more prolific rate than Grealish was his new Man City team-mate, Kevin De Bruyne.
“Tormenting defenders inside the final third, Grealish will offer Pep Guardiola an exciting new option in 2021/22.”
I know how hard it is to leave the club that you’ve supported since you were a small boy. The club that you dreamt of playing for. The club that you love. It’s brutal, but you get one football career and sometimes your head has to rule your heart. Good luck, Jack. https://t.co/E8mFmoheRa
— Gary Lineker 💙 (@GaryLineker) August 5, 2021
