Kyle sure that £100m Grealish will prove worth
KYLE Walker has backed Jack Grealish to come good at City following his £100m summer transfer.
Grealish, 26, was thrown straight into the first team by Pep Guardiola and has started 12 of the first 15 games of the season in all competitions, keeping a regular place ahead of team-mates Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.
However, he has just two goals and three assists to his name in a team that has racked up some big scores, and his nationality and price tag mean that there will always be extra scrutiny.
Walker has faced that before, with his £45m transfer from Tottenham in 2017 being derided by many a pundit shortly before he became an integral part of a Pep Guardiola machine that won three Premier League titles in four years.
City’s right-back suggested that Grealish needs time to thrive at the Etihad – as many Guardiola signings have done – but said that his performances in training show that there are no doubts over his talent.
“We have all seen over the last number of years just what Jack can do,” he said.
“He has come into a new team with a new philosophy and different style of play and different players. People take time, people can react in different ways.
“The talent is there, he shows it day-in day-out in training. I have been with him and had the pleasure to play with him at international level and the way he keeps the ball, his dribbling, attracting defenders, drawing fouls and he is great to watch and I can assure you it is a nightmare for defenders.
“Let’s just give him time.
“He has not played badly, he’s probably not quite hit the consistent levels he was getting at Aston Villa but we like to share the load here.”