Jack Grealish went from an unknown winger playing for Notts County to a household name in Birmingham.
The 24-year-old attacker had a breakout 2019/2020 Premier League season that saw him lead Aston Villa in goals and assists.
Not only did his play bring him stardom across his hometown, but it also was huge in keeping Villa up in the EPL for another season. Unfortunately for Villa fans, Grealish’s scoring ability has made him a prime target for one major English club. Grealish is heavily linked with a move to Manchester United. However, the transfer chatter has oddly died down in recent days and the two sides do not appear close to a deal.
What many saw as a guaranteed move is now far from one. Grealish is currently a -250 betting favorite to stay in Birmingham, another indicator that Villa wants to keep their young superstar for the long term.
A deal could happen in this transfer window but there’s is still a significant amount of distance between the clubs.
Aston Villa Have Made It Clear That They Are Not Shopping Grealish
In fact, The Lions just offered him a new contract worth close to £100,000 a week. There is no reason for them to let their star striker walk without a hefty fee. Even then it would be tough for Villa to let go of the hometown hero. Remaining in the Premier League certainly doesn’t hurt either. They have all the leverage in a possible deal.
The Lions have stood pat on their valuation of Grealish, which sits at a crisp £70 million. The Reds have yet to reach that mark. When they do, things will get interesting.
Photo: —The only factor they need to be worried about right now is Manchester United slowly wooing Grealish away from Villa. So far, Grealish has been very quiet about his career ambitions. No cryptic tweets or Instagram posts. No sightings in Manchester. Grealish has kept his cards close to his chest.
From an outsider’s perspective, Grealish looks set to stay in Birmingham.
Manchester United have had a brutal transfer window. They are not going to let another player slip through their grasp.
The losses just keep coming for Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Manchester United. First, it was Jaden Sancho, who looks set to remain at Borussia Dortmund for another season. Then it was former Lille defender Gabriel, who turned the Reds down in favor of London-based Arsenal. Just last week, their star CB Harry Magurie was arrested for aggravated assault in Greece.
It has not been a good month for United and their hope is that signing Grealish would turn their fortune around. They have not let up on him, despite multiple offers turned down by Aston Villa. With Sancho out of the picture, Solskjaer wants Grealish to slide back into the attacking midfield position, alongside January signee Bruno Fernandes. The pair would be an integral part of one of the more dominant midfielders in the Premier League.
The Mail is now reporting that the Reds are willing to do a player swap for the rights to Grealish. Along with a hefty transfer fee, Villa could receive GK Sergio Romero in the deal. Romero is 33 and has only appeared seven times over five seasons in Manchester. This won’t be the piece to seal the deal for either side, but it shows that the Reds are working hard to acquire another star midfielder. Expect more dominoes to fall in the coming weeks as the season creeps closer.
Jack Grealish is a special talent, there is no doubt about that. At some point in his career, he’ll find himself playing for one of England’s top clubs.
The question is…when?
All signs point to Grealish spending another season in the claret and blue, although this is how transfers often go down. There is a lot of smoke from the original club. One day the player is confirmed to stay and the next, poof, they’re gone.
Manchester United wants Grealish badly and has the resources to swoop in and give Villa an offer they can’t refuse.
Will they? We’ll have to find out.
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