Sunderland Pursues Jack Grealish Loan from Manchester City

Sunderland are attempting one of the boldest moves of the window: bringing Jack Grealish to Wearside on loan from Manchester City.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, negotiations are under way over a season-long loan that could include an option to buy next year, when Grealish’s contract at the Etihad is due to expire. Sunderland also want City to keep paying a portion of his wages, a crucial detail if the deal is to stand any chance of getting over the line.

This is not a sudden break. Grealish has been edging towards the exit for some time.

Grealish's Role at Manchester City

New City boss Enzo Maresca does not view the 28-year-old as a central figure in his plans and has barely used him so far, turning to him only in the Community Shield against Arsenal and in the home game against Bournemouth. For a player once signed as a record-breaking marquee arrival, those minutes tell their own story.

Last season, Grealish tried to reboot his career at Everton. The loan spell showed flashes of the old swagger: two goals, six assists, and a consistent creative threat across 22 appearances. Then came a stress fracture in his foot in January, a brutal interruption that sent him into a long rehabilitation spell just as he was beginning to build rhythm again.

City paid €117 million to prise him away in 2021, a fee that underlined how central he was supposed to be to their future. He responded with trophies, not always as the leading man, but as part of a squad that swept up multiple league titles and crowned it all with the Champions League in 2023. Across 159 appearances, he left his mark, even as the debate around his role never quite disappeared.

Over time, though, his influence shrank. The minutes dipped. The pecking order shifted. Pep Guardiola repeatedly stressed that leaving him out was not a personal slight, but the pattern was impossible to ignore: Grealish had gone from headline act to supporting role.

Now Sunderland sense an opening.

Potential Impact on Sunderland

Landing a player of his profile would be a statement about where they believe they are heading, not just a short-term fix. The option to buy next year, if agreed, would turn this from a simple loan into a potential long-term coup, especially with his City contract running down.

And Grealish is not the only ambitious target. Sky Sports report that Sunderland are also pushing to sign Igor Paixão from Olympique Marseille and have already lodged a bid for the Brazilian. It signals a club trying to reshape its attack with both proven pedigree and fresh energy.

If they can convince City to share the wage burden and secure that purchase option, Sunderland’s summer could take on a very different complexion. The question now is simple: can they turn audacious talks into one of the most eye-catching deals of the season?