Grealish is still in regular contact with many of his old Villa team-mates, and is still part of a WhatsApp group with his close friend John McGinn, Matt Targett and Matty Cash, who recently picked Grealish’s brain over which vet should treat his pet dog.

Grealish’s association with local charities remains strong. He recently donated 300 balls to Birmingham Childrens’ Hospital, while 30 tickets have also been offered to Acorns Children’s Hospice for the reverse fixture at City on the final day of the season. Acorns ambassador and Villa fan Moin Younis, who was diagnosed with severe epidermolysis bullosa, is booked in for a box at the Etihad Stadium for that game.

Such are the ties that he hopes, one day, to return. “It’s a club that is so close to my heart and I definitely hope to go back there,” he said. “That’s always been in my mind. Ashley Young has done it and I want to do the same, 100 per cent.”

Like Young, and others including Gareth Barry and James Milner before him, Grealish’s time with Villa did have to end.

Their progress over the past three years from promotion to top-flight stability has been impressive, with Grealish – the local boy made good – at the forefront. But as he approached 26, and his peak years, the offer from City simply could not be turned down – not least because he craved the chance to test himself in European football.

“You only get one shot at your career and it just flies by,” he says. “I feel Villa are going towards that [Europe] but I just didn’t know how long it was going to take for us. If I hadn’t come here, I would have regretted it forever. I remember hearing Michael Owen say the same about Real Madrid.

“You look at most of my England team-mates – I was probably one of the last to play [in the] Champions League. You could probably count two or three who haven’t, such as Kalvin Phillips or Sam Johnstone.

“I’ve played four times in it now and loved every moment. It’s completely different to the Premier League, a completely different standard and way of playing.

“It’s the one we all want to win. The manager has come here and won everything else, we’re all desperate to win it and I’ve come here to try and help them.”

Grealish has loved his time in Manchester, but admits acclimatising has taken time: while he was front and centre of most of Villa’s attacking play, at City he is simply one of a stellar cast list, who tend to share the glory around.

“I’ve got so much more to give,” he said. “I’ve found it a lot more difficult than I thought I would, adapting to a different manager and team-mates. At first I thought I’d have more of the ball, get more assists and goals but it doesn’t work like that at all. I’ve had nowhere near as much of the ball as I used to get at Villa.