If you’re a fan of the somewhat new addition to the Manchester City team – Jack Grealish, you’re surely looking forward to learning more about this player. After all, the simple fact that he is the first British footballerworth more than 100 million pounds makes him very intriguing. There is plenty to learn about his life prior to transferring to the club, from his beginnings in Gaelic football to becoming a superstar, so let’s get into it.
Quick facts
- Full name: Jack Peter Grealish
- Birthday: 10 September 1995
- Place of birth: Birmingham, England
- Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
- Weight: 68 kg
- Number: 10
- Position: winger, attacking midfielder
- Appearances for the club: 55 (as of 16 December 2022)
- Goals for the club: 7 (as of 16 December 2022)
Beginnings
Jack Grealish was born on 10 September 1995 in Birmingham. He was raised in Solihull and attended primary and secondary school there. Through his maternal grandfather and paternal grandparents, he is of Irish descent. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his heritage inspired him to play Gaelic football as a child. From the ages 10 to 14, he played for the John Mitchel's Hurling and Camogie Club of Warwickshire GAA. Seeing as how he played against Aoife Mannion (who currently plays for Manchester United as a defender in the FA Women’s Super League) in mixed games, it’s easy to see how much potential there is in Gaelic football. Interested individuals can even find opportunities forGAA football betting and spot some potential talent for the Premier League.
International career
Moreover, at the age of 15, Grealish declined the offer to join the England Under-17 team and went with the Republic of Ireland U17, U18, and U21 instead. He played 19 games for these teams and scored 6 times. However, in 2015, he decided to start representing England in international games and made his debut with the Under-21 team on 19 May 2016. He appeared seven times and scored twice before being called in for the senior team. He made 29 appearances since 31 August 2020 and scored two goals, one of which was against Iran during the 2022 World Cup.
Aston Villa career
While Grealish spent some of his youth career at Highgate United, he joined Aston Villa in 2001 at the age of six. He was in the Under-19 team that won the 2012–13 NextGen Series and even scored in the semi-final against Sporting CP.
While he started his senior career at Aston Villa in 2012, he spent the majority of the 2013-14 season on a loan to Notts County. There, Grealish made 38 appearances, scored five times, and assisted with seven goals.
He made his Aston Villa debut as a substitute on 7 May 2014 against Manchester City, in a 4-0 defeat. In October 2014, Grealish signed a new four-year contract. In January, he made his first start in the FA Cup against Blackpool, while he started his first Premier League game on 7 April. The game against Queens Park Rangers ended in a 3-3 draw, but his performance was praised. Grealish played a big part in Aston Villa’s game against Liverpool, which brought them to the 2015 FA Cup Final. His first goal came on 13 September 2015 against Leicester City – it was a stunner from 20 yards.
The period from 2016 to 2019 was not without its incidents, but from March 2019, he was the captain and helped the club get to a record of ten league wins in a row. He also scored in the last game of the 2019-20 season, helping the team avoid relegation. During the season, with eight games to go, he was fouled 167 times – most faults in a season. In 2020, he signed a deal that would keep him at Villa until 2025. In October, he played a huge role inLiverpool heaviest defeat in decades, with two goals and three assists. All in all, at Aston Villa, from 2012 to 2021, he made 185 appearances and scored 29 times.
Manchester City career
Despite the fact that he signed a new deal with Aston Villa in 2020, Grealish decided to transfer to Manchester City. The six-year contract was announced on 5 August 2021 and outlets reported that it was worth £100 million, making this the highest fee paid by a club from Britain. He was given Sergio Agüero’s number 10 shirt and made his debut in the opening game against Tottenham. He scored his first goal on 21 August, in a 5-0 win over Norwich City. Furthermore, he also scored a goal during his Champions League debut against RB Leipzig. In his first season with Manchester City, he made 38 appearances, scored six goals, and won the Premier League.
He also had an impressive start to this season, with eight appearances and one goal. We can’t wait to see what’s yet to come once the action continues after the World Cup.