After making a British record £100million at the Etihad Stadium last summer, all eyes were on Jack Grealish to see how he would cope with the increased demands of working under Pep Guardiola after spending his entire club career previously at his boyhood club. AstonVilla.

Joining the Premier League champions was always going to be a difficult task for the Solihull-born striker, but his relentless energy and promising ability saw him settle quite well among the star-studded ranks at Guardiola’s disposal.

Although he didn’t have the impact he would have liked statistically in his debut campaign at Manchester City, Grealish certainly contributed with some vital performances and goals towards the end of the campaign.

Most notably, his half-volley against West Ham United in the penultimate Premier League game sparked a dramatic second-half comeback that left the fate of the title still in City’s hands.

Two weeks after City’s spectacular late win over Aston Villa to lift the Premier League, Grealish is set to embark on a quartet of Nations League games with the England national team in the coming weeks before returning to his club for the pre-season.

Discuss his first Premier League triumph in an interview with The Mirror this weekthe 26-year-old said: “It was amazing to win the league. I wanted to win titles and get medals.

“Obviously I won the (Championship) play-off final (with Aston Villa in 2019) – I really appreciate that. It’s a great achievement.

“But then winning the Premier League, obviously, is winning the Premier League. That speaks for itself.

“It was an incredible day (the win over Aston Villa) – and an incredible few days to celebrate something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Grealish will be hoping his late season form will be just the start of his development as a Manchester City player and next season will see him reach new heights.

Operating primarily as a left winger this season, the Birmingham-born star is still hoping to enjoy a move into midfield and show off the form that has seen him emerge as one of Aston Villa’s finest talents since his rise in the league. ranks of the club’s academy.

With the World Cup in Qatar approaching in December, Grealish will want to be on top of his game to work his way into Gareth Southgate’s plans and possibly even his starting XI after being largely a player in the club. Three Lions team at the European Championships last summer.

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