Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Jack Grealish is finally living up to his £100 million price tag after a frustrating first season at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s team is close to winning the Premier League, the Champions League, and the FA Cup. Grealish has been a big part of the team’s improvement since the World Cup.

City is five points behind the league leaders going into Wednesday’s game against Arsenal, but they have two games in hand, so they are in charge of their own fate.

Even though he cost the then-record amount to move from Aston Villa to City in 2021, Grealish spent most of last season’s title race on the bench as City beat Liverpool by one point to win their fourth Premier League title in five years.

Fast-forward The England international has followed a pattern of earning Guardiola’s trust after a season of getting used to his ways.

“He’s playing really good this season. But at the same time, like he knows, we want more,” said the ever-demanding Guardiola.

“Now he believes he is part of it. Maybe when he arrived he thought: ‘I’m not good enough after the team won the Premier League.’

“Sometimes players adapt immediately, sometimes they need more time. Jack didn’t come here for just one season, he’s here for a long time. He’s an important player for us.”

At first glance, Guardiola and Grealish don’t seem like they would get along.

The Catalan coach is known for paying close attention to every detail, and Grealish is one of the few interesting characters left in the game.

The 27-year-old made headlines last year for his actions during City’s celebrations of winning the title. He then went on a drunken trip to Ibiza that was all over social media.

Grealish recently admitted that he gets a five-course Chinese takeaway meal after every game.

Photo by EPA/TOLGA AKMEN