The wild Man City and West Ham which could boost two star’s prospects ahead of the 2026 World Cup - opinion
West Ham are interested in signing one of the Premier League’s most expensive footballers
West Ham United are the latest Premier League side to enter the race to sign Britain’s second most expensive footballer. Jack Grealish, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
The former Aston Villa playmaker, who cost Manchester City a staggering £100m in 2021, has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad and is likely to have played his last ever game for the Sky Blues after failing to make their Club World Cup squad in the United States.
Grealish has experienced plenty of highs in a City shirt, winning three league titles, one FA Cup, a Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the 2023 edition of the Club World Cup. However, his overall record of 17 goals and 23 assists in 132 appearances, can only be judged as underwhelming given the size of the price tag that City spent to bring him into the club.
Grealish is yet to feature for England since the start of 2025 and only has a year to stake a claim for the upcoming World Cup in North America next year.
The likes of Everton and West Ham are thought to be the most likely suitors for the 39-time international, although the finances of any deal are difficult for both clubs based on Grealish’s earnings and the valuation City are likely to have for their most expensive footballer. At this stage, it seems a loan deal is the most appropriate option for the Hammers and the Toffees although it’s not yet clear if that’s a viable solution for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Would Jack Grealish be a good fit for West Ham?
Jack Grealish, at the peak of his powers was a joy to watch in an Aston Villa shirt, and while it was always debatable whether his performances ever merited a £100m price tag, it was always clear to see why he was so popular at Villa Park and why many at that point were pining to see more of him in the England squad at Euro 2020.
However, he’s had his confidence dashed in a Manchester City shirt particularly in the past few months, after featuring 32 times across all competitions, with only seven of his 16 starts coming in the league.
A move to West Ham could be the perfect chance for Grealish to rediscover both his form and confidence and he’d be almost guaranteed to be a starter on the left side following the departure of Mohamed Kudus for £60m to Tottenham Hotspur.
West Ham were the sixth lowest scorers in the division last term, had the fourth lowest number of shots on target in the league, and were the least accurate shooters in the league with only 29% of their efforts hitting the target. They also had just three take-ons leading to goal (3) which was the joint worst in the league, via fbref.
Grealish in full flow, or even close to that level, could significantly improve this side of West Ham’s game particularly if he is allowed to play with the same sense of freedom that he had at Aston Villa as opposed to the strict system of Guardiola’s all-encompassing Man City.
The wild Man City and West Ham swap deal which could take place
For the last two summers, Lucas Paqueta has been coveted by Manchester City, with the deal on both occasions being called off because of the Brazilian’s ongoing investigation for alleged breaches of betting regulations.
Football Insider understands a decision is expected in the coming weeks but adds that the London club are already planning for life without the former Lyon man and could be open to selling him if he’s cleared of the allegations.
City had an offer believed to be in the region of £85m accepted for the midfielder back in 2023, with Pep Guardiola clearly being a fan of the footballer that’s scored 18 and assisted 14 in 120 matches. Like Grealish, Paqueta hasn’t played for his country yet in 2025 but he’ll have ambitions of adding to his 55 caps and making the World Cup squad.
With both players seemingly being available for transfer and at similar ages, with Paqueta, 27, only being two years younger than Grealish. Could it be possible for a shock transfer to take place between the two clubs?