Chelsea line up shock move for record-breaking Man City star; ‘discussions’ already held over deal
Chelsea Football Club is reportedly mulling over a surprising transfer bid for Manchester City’s Jack Grealish, following internal talks about the possibility.
The club, under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino, is looking to significantly bolster its squad in the upcoming transfer window, focusing on adding a new centre-back, a winger, and a centre-forward.
Despite uncertainty surrounding Pochettino’s own future at Stamford Bridge, there appears to be alignment within the club’s management on the areas requiring reinforcement. Journalist Simon Phillips has indicated that Chelsea has taken a particular interest in Grealish, discussing him as a serious candidate for their summer acquisition plans.
On his Substack page, Phillips notes, “Another winger that has recently been the subject of internal discussions at Chelsea is Manchester City’s Jack Grealish.”
Grealish, 28, has recently been rumored to possibly return to Aston Villa, his previous club, given his reduced role at Manchester City. The general consensus in the industry suggests he might be available for a transfer, potentially seeking a more pivotal role at a new club.
Chelsea has historically maintained favorable transfer dealings with Manchester City, successfully negotiating reasonable fees for players like Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer in past transactions.
The consideration of Grealish raises questions about Sterling’s future with Chelsea. Grealish, having had a season of limited starts—only 10 in the Premier League due to the arrival of Jeremy Doku at City—is seen as a possible replacement or an upgrade for Sterling, who is not seen as part of Chelsea’s long-term strategy. Sterling himself is attracting attention from Saudi Arabian clubs, though his preference is to remain and compete for his position.
Despite the interest, Chelsea is not alone in admiring Grealish; Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are also reportedly keeping tabs on him. Grealish, who became the most expensive Premier League player in history when City acquired him for £100 million in 2021, has yet to fully justify the hefty investment.
If Chelsea decides to pursue Grealish, they will first need to streamline their roster by offloading several players. Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah, and Armando Broja (currently on loan at Fulham) are among those speculated to be on the way out to accommodate new, high-cost acquisitions.
This potential move for Grealish could significantly shape Chelsea’s strategy and squad composition for the upcoming seasons, signaling ambitious intentions from the club’s management to remain competitive at the highest levels.
