‘His future is done’ – Alan Shearer tells £100m man to forget about Newcastle United
Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has advised Jack Grealish to steer clear of a potential transfer to the Magpies this summer, citing the club’s depth on the left wing as a key reason. The Manchester City midfielder appears set for a summer exit after enduring a frustrating and largely inactive campaign under Pep Guardiola.
Once a record-breaking £100million signing and a vital creative spark at Aston Villa, Grealish now finds himself on the periphery at City. He played just a single minute across the club’s final six Premier League fixtures and was an unused substitute in their FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United. Since December, he has only made one Premier League start, despite City experiencing a relatively underwhelming domestic season by their lofty standards.
With his future in Manchester hanging by a thread, several clubs have reportedly expressed interest in the 29-year-old England international. Newcastle United are among those believed to be monitoring his situation. However, Grealish’s astronomical wages – said to be in the region of £350,000 per week – present a significant hurdle. Such a salary would not only make him the highest-paid player at St. James’ Park by a wide margin but could also disrupt the club’s current wage structure.
Even setting financial factors aside, Shearer believes Grealish would face tough competition for his preferred position at Newcastle. Speaking to Betfair, the Premier League’s all-time top scorer explained that the left-wing role, where Grealish has excelled most throughout his career, is already well-stocked under Eddie Howe.
“I think Jack’s best position is coming off the left,” Shearer said. “That’s where we saw the best of him at Aston Villa, and even at times with Manchester City. But that’s a position where Newcastle are really strong already. They’ve got two England internationals in Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon, both of whom play primarily off the left. So I’d be very surprised if Newcastle made a serious move for him.”
Shearer did not question Grealish’s ability or character, describing him as “a talented lad and a really nice guy,” but acknowledged that his time at Manchester City appears to have run its course. “He just seems to have lost his way at City, for whatever reason. And when that happens, the best thing you can do is move on, get out, and play regular football again.”
Pep Guardiola, City’s manager, has also offered some insight into Grealish’s struggles, albeit in a diplomatic fashion. The Spaniard has repeatedly been asked about Grealish’s absence from the starting XI, especially toward the end of the season, but has been careful not to diminish the player’s value ahead of a potential sale.
“It was purely a matter of selection,” Guardiola said when asked why Grealish was left out. “Over the last month and a half, we had five or six players left out each match, and I just went with other options. That’s all.”
Still, Guardiola acknowledged the importance of game time for a player like Grealish, hinting that a move might be necessary. “Jack is an unbelievable player who needs to be playing football regularly – every three days, ideally. That hasn’t happened this season, or even the one before. He needs to be playing, whether it’s here or elsewhere. That’s something for Jack, his agent, and the club to figure out.”
Grealish himself has spoken candidly about his frustrations. Earlier this year, he admitted that the lack of consistent minutes has taken its toll on his rhythm and confidence.
“I want to get back to playing regularly like I was a couple of years ago,” he said. “It’s tough going in and out of games, not playing consistently. I just want to find that rhythm again, and hopefully, I can do that by training well and earning more opportunities.”
As the summer transfer window approaches, Grealish faces a pivotal moment in his career. While he remains a supremely gifted player, he must now find the right environment to reignite his spark – and according to Shearer, Newcastle might not be the right destination. With strong competition already in place and financial constraints to consider, the Magpies may ultimately choose to invest elsewhere as they continue to build under Eddie Howe.