Jack Grealish reveals ambition to one day play in MLS

Manchester City's record signing Jack Grealish has revealed his desire to one day play in Major League Soccer.

The 26-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the last few years, going from playing in the Championship with Aston Villa to joining Premier League champions City, for a British record £100m fee, seemingly in the blink of an eye.

Grealish was also part of the England squad that went all the way to the final of the European Championships in the summer, with his silky skills and rolled-down socks quickly established him as a favorite among supporters.

Though his immediate focus is winning trophies with City, Grealish has already set his sights on an eventual move to MLS, highlighting the continuing improvement of the league in a recent interview.

“100 percent, I’ve always said that,” Grealish replied when asked by NBC Sports if MLS could be a target destination.

“I said it to my Dad not long ago actually, when we were just speaking about anything. I said to him it was something that would definitely stand out. I’ve always loved the U.S. and I think MLS is something that is really coming on now."

Grealish has been inspired by the journey of his former Aston Villa teammate, Carles Gil, who was named MLS MVP for 2021. The Spaniard provided 14 assists and scored four goals of his own in 29 appearances to help the New England Revolution win the Supporters' Shield and set a league-record regular season points total (73).

“One of my ex-teammates Carles Gil had a really good year there this year (named MLS MVP for 2021)," Grealish continued.

"I follow him on Instagram and keep up to date with what he’s doing. I know he had a really good season for the New England Revolution and he’s captain, and I played with him when he was at Villa. Seeing how much he’s enjoying himself over there, and stuff like that, definitely in the future I could see myself playing in America.”

Should Grealish eventually make himself available to MLS clubs, it's safe to say there would be a long line of potential suitors chasing his signature. Perhaps NYCFC could flex those City Football Group connections?