Man City are finding themselves in an unusual position with Jack Grealish as financial reality bites

Manchester City find themselves in an unusual position with Jack Grealish this summer, as they search for an exit route for a player no longer wanted at the Etihad, but where financial considerations are proving a hindrance to any potential deal.

City's transfer market hit rate has been so high that they don't often end up in this situation. Grealish is by far the most high-profile flop in recent years, and even that description is maybe a little harsh given how good he was in the treble season.

He's not kicked on since then, however, and his £100million transfer fee and £300-a-week wages are now problems to be navigated. That fee isn't too disastrous, given City's comfortable position within the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), but the salary is an issue.

City and Grealish would prefer a permanent departure this summer, which would mean a huge hit on that fee, but no club would be willing to match that salary, given the 29-year-old's two difficult years. Only a handful would be willing to get close to £200,000-a-week during the more straitened times of the PSR era.

That makes a loan move far more likely as the window progresses, unless City agree to some kind of deal with Grealish to continue topping up some of his salary after a permanent sale.

Even with a loan move, any potential suitor would only pay a portion of that salary, leaving City on the hook for a good chunk of Grealish's wages while he plays elsewhere. The hope would be that a good season elsewhere would restore some of his value and open the door for a permanent sale in 2026.

City will try to work on a solution to this dilemma between now and the end of the transfer window, but they only have to look across town to see how hard it