Man City manager Pep Guardiola can repeat Jack Grealish transfer trick at half the cost

Manchester City are finally getting to see Jack Grealish at his swashbuckling best and Pep Guardiola must be mightily pleased with his £100million man right now.

It has been 18 months since the floppy-haired playmaker swapped his beloved hometown Aston Villa for the Etihad Stadium and with last season's Premier League medal front and centre on his mantelpiece it is Grealish - along with Erling Haaland - that continues to lead the side this term.

Given his early struggles, that might have been an unthinkable scenario this time a year ago, but the popular England international buckled down, got used to Pep Guardiola - and his demands - and is ultimately reaping the benefits with increased game-time and, in turn, output.

READ MORE: FA make decision on Guardiola

That all but one of his direct contributions for City in the Premier League this campaign have come after the World Cup is a testament to his form and growing importance to this star-studded squad. But while robot-like teammate Haaland continues to record mind-blowing numbers and think nothing about it, that upturn being enjoyed by Grealish comes armed with a rare sense of humility and self-deprecation.

"When I came here, I will be honest with you, it was so much more difficult than I thought," declared Grealish after he was summoned from the bench to provide a match-winning assist against Chelsea at their Stamford Bridge stadium in January. "In my head, I was thinking that going to the team that sits at the top of the league I will be getting so many goals, but obviously it isn't the case.

"I've said it a few times, but it's so much different to what I was used to. It's so much more difficult."

Different and difficult, perhaps, but Grealish has risen to his own