Pundit Troy Deeney has pondered whether Jack Grealish may need to leave Manchester City in the near future in order to reignite his career - but he has advised against a return to boyhood club Aston Villa. Grealish left Villa in 2021 after helping guide Villa back to the Premier League and aiding their re-establishing amongst the footballing elite under Dean Smith.

He left as part of a £100m deal and joined City, where he has won three Premier League titles and the Champions League, but this season he has struggled for game time and has contended with various injuries. As a result, Grealish has clocked up just 480 minutes of Premier League football this season spanning 12 appearances. He hasn't scored in 2024.

Indeed Grealish has actually been in better form for England under interim boss Lee Carsley, for who he scored goals in wins over Ireland and Finland in the Nations League. Grealish's individual form for City, though, has fluctuated while their collective form has startlingly fallen off a cliff in recent weeks.

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola tells brutal Man City 'truth' ahead of Aston Villa

READ MORE: Fresh interest in Aston Villa starlet revealed ahead of January transfer

READ: Bernardo Silva takes 'stupid' Man City swipe ahead of Aston Villa

READ: Pep Guardiola tells brutal Man City 'truth' ahead of Aston Villa

It's been regularly mooted that Grealish, who is now 29 and has two years remaining on his contract at City from next summer onwards, might one day return to Villa, where he was captain and shone on the left hand side, showing form which earned him international recognition in the first place. For former Birmingham City striker Deeney, though, he doesn't subscribe to the belief that prodigal returns often work out.

"I think he is danger of having his legacy ruined and what I mean by that is, I don't think you can say he hasn't lived up to his potential, because look at what he did at Villa and he did it for a sustained period of time," he told talkSPORT. "What's happening now is, in football, it's, 'What have you done lately?,' and he hasn't done a great deal lately due to injuries and being out of the team.

"I don't wan't him to go back to Villa for two reasons, selfishly, because I don't want Villa to get good again, [saying this] with a Blues head on but genuinely for him, I always think if you go back, there's an expectation you're going to be that person you was when you left. I think a fresh start would be great for him and somewhere where he's the main man again and everyone is giving him the ball.

"Because people like Jack, they need to have the ball every couple of minutes - and not being stood on the side - and when they get it, run a little bit and pass it back, but I think you're going to see a new role for him at City, I think you're going to see him as a No.8 - just driving out of midfield. I think he can handle that position really well, and that'll be good for England as well."

Where does Deeney think Grealish should and could end up?

"Spurs, he walks into that team in every position," he added. "Whether that's as a winger, No.10 or No.8. Arsenal, no, I don't think he works at Arsenal. Liverpool, he doesn't at Liverpool. He's obviously not going to go Manchester United, but he's better than what they've got. Newcastle, easy. There's loads of teams, anyone outside the top four, I'd argue he'd do well at Chelsea, but they've got about 75 wingers.

"He's probably too cheap for them at £100m to be fair, they'd want to waste a bit more money! Anyone outside the top four, he would easily go into and dominate, if he went to Newcastle, it would be considered a massive step down for him, but it's a great club with a great fanbase and I think Jack needs to feel that again, feel that he's loved, feel that the fanbase love him, but also he's the man to drive them forward."

Would you like to see Grealish return? Tell us HERE