Man City tour snubs signal clearout of high-earning fringe players
Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips missing Manchester City's pre-season tour suggests the club is preparing to offload high-wage assets under new manager Enzo Maresca.
Manchester City have left Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips out of their 28-man squad for an 11-day pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Seoul. The omission comes as the club begins a new era under manager Enzo Maresca, signalling a decisive shift in how City manage their wage bill.
For a club accustomed to dominating transfer markets, offloading high-earning fringe players is a standard financial necessity. Grealish is entering the final 12 months of his contract on reported wages of £300,000 a week. With no new terms on the table, City risk losing him for nothing next summer if a transfer is not sanctioned now.
Phillips represents an even starker example of a sunk cost. Since joining from Leeds United in 2022, the midfielder has played just seven minutes of EFL Cup action for the club. An unsuccessful loan spell in the Championship at Sheffield United last season did nothing to revive his market value, and City appear eager to finally cut their losses.
Grealish’s situation is complicated by his physical condition and public image. He returned to first-team training last week but is still recuperating from a season-ending foot injury sustained at Everton in January. That injury ended a productive loan spell and cost him a chance at the World Cup. Repeated images of the 30-year-old drinking in the afternoon will do little to encourage potential buyers.
Maresca has kept his options open but offered no long-term assurances. "At the moment, he is here. He is a Manchester City player," Maresca said. "It's my duty to try to coach them. Jack is here. I have a good relationship with Jack since I left... he has a big heart and he is a very good guy... and then we see what happens."
The squad chosen for the Far East tour highlights City's evolving strategy. With Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Josko Gvardiol and Antoine Semenyo resting after the World Cup, Maresca has blended experience with youth. New signing Elliot Anderson, Rayan Cherki and several elite development squad players are travelling, offering a glimpse into a leaner, cost-effective future. City face Inter Milan on Saturday.
