Manchester City have begun a new chapter under Italian coach Enzo Maresca, but the situation of one of the club's most prominent former stars remains shrouded in uncertainty.
City returned to pre-season training last week, and Jack Grealish joined the squad before being left off the travelling party heading to Hong Kong and Seoul for the 11-day Asian tour.
According to BBC Sport, the England midfielder is still recovering from a foot injury he suffered last January. It ended his loan spell with Everton early, just as he had begun to gradually rediscover his form, and denied him the chance to compete for a place in England's World Cup squad.
Grealish had fallen out of former coach Pep Guardiola's plans, and he returns to City entering the final year of his contract. There is no indication he has received an offer to renew, despite a weekly wage estimated at around 300,000 pounds sterling.
The player turns 31 next September. The biggest question is whether Maresca will grant him a fresh chance in the first team, or sanction his departure this summer and end his journey with the former English champions.
Maresca did not close the door on Grealish staying, saying last week: "At the moment he is here, and he is still a Manchester City player. It is my duty to try to coach all the players who are at the club."
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"I have a good relationship with Jack since my departure, and we are still in contact, because he has a big heart and he is a great person, and after that we will see what happens," he added. But the Italian may harbour concerns after images circulated of Grealish having drinks on two occasions over the past three months, something that could dent his image in front of interested clubs.
Grealish led City's historic treble celebrations in 2023, yet rejected being labelled a "party boy" at the time, insisting he was "just enjoying himself". A repeat of these scenes could reduce his chances of a move.
Since the start of the year, Grealish has not played a single official match. Midfielder Kalvin Phillips has also returned to the club following an unsuccessful loan with Sheffield United in the English Championship.
At just 30, Phillips has seen his career decline significantly since his move from Leeds United to City in 2022. He has played only seven minutes in the EFL Cup over the past two seasons.
All signs point to Phillips being out of the team's plans, too. He was excluded from the Asian tour list, and City are open to offers for him during the current transfer window.
City's party comprised 28 players to contest three friendly matches. Erling Haaland, new arrival Elliot Anderson, Rayan Cherki and Nico O'Reilly were all given a rest following their World Cup involvement.
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Phil Foden, Josko Gvardiol and Antoine Semenyo also feature on the list, alongside a number of reserve team players, given Maresca's desire to assess the available options.
Manchester City open the Maresca era against Italian league champions Inter Milan on Saturday, before facing a South Korean league all-star side, then Atletico Madrid in Seoul next week.
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