Pep tells winger he must live up to his £100m price tag

PEP GUARDIOLA has warned Jack Grealish it is time for him to deliver on his £100million price tag.

Record-breaking buy Grealish became the most expensive player in British football history with his summer move from Aston Villa – but admits he has found it hard going at Manchester City.

The England winger has scored just twice and managed three assists in 15 appearances for City, and failed to live up to his huge transfer fee.

While Guardiola claims he is happy with the way Grealish has played, the City boss said he will not wait until next season for the 26-year-old to produce his best. “We want to see it now,” said Guardiola. “Or there will be trouble. We’ve six or seven months with a lot of nice things ahead, we want to see it this season.

“My opinion is he’s played much better than maybe he believes. When you see his actions, maybe at Villa, everything started with him and he was free.

“He’s in a new position now and maybe has not been so determined or so clinical in the final third. “Maybe because he respects his mates, maybe because it’s a new environment, and that’s normal because it’s a process and he needs time.”

Guardiola believes Grealish needs to be more selfish on the ball and play more like he did at Villa – where he was the dominant player – if he is to be more influential for City.

He said: “All the players who come here, for the first season, they always struggle.

“But what he sees and what he has to do, is so easy for him with the quality he has.

“Just be free and be who you are – that’s all, no more.

“When the players get the ball close to the box, you decide whatever you want.

That’s why you’re Jack

Grealish and not another player. Sometimes maybe he has to be a more aggressive guy, but the decisionmaking, to make an extra pass, is not always wrong. “Some players need more time to adapt.

“I remember when Raheem came here with Manuel Pellegrini, he didn’t play much and after, when he started to play with us, he started to fly.” Grealish and Phil Foden (above) are set to be on the bench at Villa Park tonight. Kevin De Bruyne, out of isolation after testing positive for Covid, is only just back in training so will not feature.