Jack Grealish has found himself at the centre of a fresh club-versus-country row after Pep Guardiola insisted the midfielder was not fit despite being called into Lee Carsley’s final England squad.
Grealish has not played for City since coming on as a substitute against Wolves on October 20, and Guardiola had repeatedly said the 29-year-old would not return before this international break.
Eyebrows were raised when interim England boss Carsley named Grealish in the squad to face Greece and the Republic of Ireland on Thursday, having said the £100million man had been back in training for two days.
Guardiola – who said he had not spoken to Carsley before Thursday’s squad announcement – gave a different view of Grealish’s fitness on Friday, saying that he had spent two days in the gym but that Friday morning was the first time he had taken part in training – and then only briefly.
“It is (Carsley’s) decision,” Guardiola said. “Seventeen days he didn’t train once. Today is the first training and he trained for 20 minutes. This is the reality…
“He was in the gym for a few minutes yes, the last two days. It’s a question for the manager from (England) – I’m not involved. They can select who they want. All I’d say is the day after Wolves, he was injured, 17 days out and today was the first training with the team.”
It is only a few weeks since Guardiola complained about Kyle Walker returning from England duty with an injury, and this latest episode is unlikely to improve relations.
“They can select who they want,” Guardiola added in a terse press conference. “Jack trained today and believes he can help us – I’m not the guy to say you cannot go. But for my team tomorrow he’s not fit – he cannot play.
“All I can say is that for a couple of days over two weeks he didn’t train but the people from England believe he can help. So go.”
Guardiola confirmed that Grealish himself had indicated his desire to join up with England.
In the summer, Grealish returned to City early for pre-season training, eager to put behind him an underwhelming season that ended with him missing out on Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2024.
But a series of injuries have continued his frustration, and he has appeared in only 10, starting six, of City’s 17 games to date.
“He’s had two or three setbacks – in terms of injuries – and could not get his rhythm,” Guardiola added.
“He has to be (motivated) – he has to be fit to play. Not only Jack – there are many players this happens to – this is the reality.”
Guardiola once again declined to give any indication regarding his own future at City.
The 53-year-old is in the final year of his contract although speculation continues that he may commit for one more year to take his reign in the blue half of Manchester to a decade.
Guardiola has used the November international break to sign his last two contract extensions in 2020 and 2022, but said he had no plans to visit Abu Dhabi, home of club owner Sheikh Mansour, over the next fortnight.
“I’ve said many times, I won’t talk about it,” Guardiola said. “When it happens, it will happen. We’re in touch regularly. What happens happens always for the benefit of the club.”
