Maresca’s personal touch puts Grealish at the heart of City’s rebuild

Manchester City must plug a creative void left by the end of Pep Guardiola’s era, and the club has turned to Jack Grealish, who has resumed training at the City Football Academy after a season‑long loan at Everton, arriving under new Italian boss Enzo Maresca.

Enzo Maresca, the Italian tactician, was appointed as Manchester City’s head coach after Pep Guardiola’s departure from the club. His hiring coincided with the close of a decade of success at the Etihad Stadium.

Maresca said he has kept in touch with Grealish and praised his “big heart” and character, calling him a “very good guy”. He added that any player who belongs to the club is his duty to coach, underscoring the personal relationship between the two.

Grealish is currently recovering from a foot stress fracture sustained while on loan at Everton. During his spell at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, he enjoyed a strong up‑turn in form under David Moyes.

His return to Manchester City marks his first appearance at the club’s training ground since the loan spell. The training took place at the City Football Academy, signalling his reintegration into the squad.

City plans to take Grealish on its pre‑season tour of Asia starting next week, with fixtures in Hong Kong and South Korea. The youthful squad will face Italian champions Inter, a K‑League All Stars side and Atletico Madrid on the tour.

Full clarity on Grealish’s future is expected before the FA Community Shield on 16 August. Everton remain interested in the England international and may look to bring him back, possibly on a permanent deal.

The club will need to assess his fitness ahead of the shield match before deciding his role. Any decision will have to balance his recovery, the new manager’s plans and Everton’s renewed pursuit.