Jack Grealish is available. Signed for £100m only a few years ago, he’s the type of player that would usually be financially beyond West Ham. However, a drop in form and being phased out by Guardiola make him a realistic prospect.

Jack Grealish has followed the path of many English stars recently. Once lauded as a player with world-class potential, he has become more accustomed to warming benches than terrorizing defenses. Could West Ham take a gamble on him?

The hope would be that Grealish follows in the footsteps of Jesse Lingard and shines in a West Ham loan spell. It would have seemed impossible a short while ago. Right now, it’s a genuine and exciting possibility.

Why Grealish to West Ham is Possible

Grealish joined his club for an astronomical sum with a £300,000 a week contract. Man City spun the proverbial casino roulette wheel, put it all on Grealish and are now left counting their losses. The problem for Man City is the lack of suitors for Grealish.

Where would you bet on Grealish playing next season? If you’re interested in Premier League betting, it’s a hard one to call. You’d get long odds on Grealish playing in the Champions League this coming season. 

Instead, the wise bet would be on him joining a club outside of the “big six”. Now would be a good time to bet on West Ham finishing in the top half and making a push for Europe. If the club do land Grealish, you’d only expect those odds to shorten.

There haven’t been any solid rumors of a club with financial firepower being interested. That will surely leave Man City in the position where they’ll need to accept that any team that wants him will only pay a percentage of his wage.

The Manchester club has placed itself in a weak negotiating position. With Grealish training away from the main squad, everyone knows they are desperate to cut their losses. This is where West Ham could take advantage of the situation.

How Would Grealish Fit In?

Coming off a bad season, West Ham will be looking for more attacking flair. Last season the club had one of the lowest shot volumes and accuracy. The creativity stats were poor and that won’t be helped by the sale of Mohammed Kudus.

Last season, the club relied too heavily on Jarrod Bowen. The English international was involved in 45% of the club’s goals. It’s a stat that shows just how good Bowen is but also how much West Ham rely on him. This will surely tempt the club to make a bet on Grealish.

Grealish would provide the club with a dual threat. His excellent ball retention would also help provide Potter with the control he seeks. Grealish would no doubt elevate the tempo in transitions and improve their creative threat.

Potter generally has a preference for younger players but Grealish would provide some leadership and experience. At 29, he still has a lot left in the tank and a one-year loan provides minimal risk to the club.

Can Grealish Bounce Back?

Even if Man City continues to pay some of his wages, Grealish would still be an expensive loan. This means West Ham would need to weigh up the risk and reward.

Even David Sullivan came out and said Grealish was “not the player he was two to three years ago” but can he get back to his best? Potter is reportedly a lot more positive about the potential move than Sullivan, which could be key.

Grealish seems like a player who needs to be loved and needs to play week in, week out. Similar to Lingard, West Ham could be the perfect place to find that spark again. With the adoration of a passionate crowd and a supportive manager, Hammers fans could see Grealish at his best.

Throughout his career, he always looked his best when he was playing with freedom and on instinct. Guardiola’s strict tactical discipline took that out of him. Potter could make him fall in love with football again.

Will It and Should It Happen?

Will it happen? It seems to be a genuine possibility. Grealish has to go somewhere and it seems incredibly unlikely Man City will either get a sale at this point or find a team willing to fully cover his wages. A loan deal with City subsidizing his wages seems like the only viable possibility.

As for Grealish, spending a season at a great Premier League club would make a lot of sense, especially heading into a World Cup year. You’d think he’d be open to the move and Potter could get a technically gifted creator with minimal risk.

Of course, the move seems far from certain. While West Ham is unlikely to move heaven and earth to get him, the possibility is only likely to increase as we get closer to the transfer deadline. Grealish’s career burst into life in the claret and blue of Aston Villa. It could be in West Ham’s claret and blue where it is resurrected.