- Jack Grealish cost Man City £100m
- Struggled to live up to price tag
- Scott Carson explains why
Scott Carson has explained why Jack Grealish found it hard at Manchester City, despite having such a good reputation when he joined.
Jack Grealish was a very good player for Manchester City in his prime, bagging 17 goals and 23 assists in 157 appearances.
However, the Englishman often looked like he was having to act in a more conservative role, limiting his creative flair.
As time progressed, Grealish began to increasingly struggle, which led to his season-long departure to Everton last summer.
Scott Carson reveals what went wrong for Jack Grealish at Man City
Back in 2019, Man City bizarrely signed Scott Carson on an initial loan deal and further down the line he joined on a permanent transfer from Derby County.
The ex-England international was able to observe Grealish’s time at the Etihad Stadium and he has pinpointed exactly why things went wrong.
The REAL reason Jack Grealish struggled at Man City! 😳 pic.twitter.com/lFMaSK3cG6
— The Good, The Bad & The Football (@goodbadftblpod) April 28, 2026
Carson told The Good, the Bad and the Football: “Yeah [Grealish got frustrated]. Jack’s the sort of player that needs to play week-in week-out, get the confidence and feel loved.
“Obviously it didn’t work out for him as well as he probably thought because he was obviously getting played on the left.
“And instead of him drifting inside and stuff like that, his job was staying on that touchline and to keep the ball and obviously drag players over there to then get it to the other side.”
When asked about the liberties currently enjoyed by Rayan Cherki, Carson added: “Grealish was that sort of player as well who just wants to have freedom to go wherever he wants on the field.”
Pep Guardiola has become less strict
Although Pep Guardiola is giving Cherki the opportunity to do whatever he pleases on the pitch, this has not always been the case.
Only a couple of months ago, Guardiola criticised Cherki’s lack of speed, seemingly justifying why the France international was not a regular starter.
However, the 22-year-old has since been allowed to do what he does best, using his creative flair and nonchalant attacking style to create moments of magic.
Grealish has been given more freedom at Everton
Had Grealish been allowed to play in a similar way to Cherki, he might still be an important member of the Man City squad.
Still, the ex-Aston Villa star has enjoyed his time so far at Everton, as he has been able to cut inside and showcase his excellent dribbling abilities.
Grealish was racking up assists earlier in the season and continued to be a strong attacking threat until he obtained a season-ending injury.
Once he recovers, it could be that Grealish joins Everton on a permanent transfer. This is a move which would surely suit him, as David Moyes has done a lot to restore his confidence.
