---
title: "Exclusive: Howey thinks Manchester City would rather spend on Grealish than Sancho"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/exclusive-howey-thinks-manchester-city-would-rather-splash-on-grealish-than-sancho-transfers-rumour-aston-villa-pep-guardiola-e173/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Caleb Sage"
section: "Exclusive"
published: "2021-07-16T19:10:58Z"
modified: "2021-07-16T19:10:58Z"
---

# Exclusive: Howey thinks Manchester City would rather spend on Grealish than Sancho

**Speaking exclusively to [The Transfer Tavern](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/), former Manchester City defender Steve Howey believes Pep Guardiola would rather fork out on Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish than Jadon Sancho.**

Grealish is believed to be a top target for Guardiola, with [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/12341414/jack-grealish-man-city-plan-formal-offer-after-euro-2020-as-aston-villa-open-contract-talks-with-star) previously claiming that City would bid for the player after the Euros.

Meanwhile, Sancho, once of City, will be [playing at their rivals Manchester United](https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/man-utd-statement-on-transfer-of-jadon-sancho-from-borussia-dortmund) this upcoming season.

\[freshpress-poll id=”366240″\]

And out of the two, Howey has suggested that Guardiola would rather pay for the Villa man after watching his England team-mate leave the Etihad back in 2017.

*“He was already there and they let him go. I think it would kind* *of stick in his throat a little bit that the club then go out and pay 75 million or 80 million or whatever it was,”* the ex-City player said.

*“I think he’d rather keep his money for someone like Grealish.”*

You can understand if Guardiola and City were trying to save face. But looking at some of Sancho’s numbers, he could have been a great signing for the Spaniard.

Back in the 2019/20 season, the England international was in absolutely devastating form. In 32 league appearances, he managed to score [17](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/346300/History/Jadon-Sancho) goals and provide 16 assists as Borussia Dortmund secured [second](https://www.footballcritic.com/bundesliga/season-2019-2020/3/21557) place.