There has been a lot of talk about Jack Grealish and why England boss Gareth Southgate has only just warmed to selecting the Aston Villa star. The 25-year-old’s performances for the Villans this season have been nothing short phenomenal. The attacking midfielder again impressed against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday in a 3-0 win. Grealish will be hoping to start for the Three Lions once again in the Nations League clash with Belgium this evening.
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Performances have not gone unnoticed elsewhere
According to the Telegraph, Jack Grealish’s performances have led to Manchester City placing the attacking midfielder top of their transfer wishlist for January. The star is being linked with an £80million move to the Citizens. Their arch-rivals Manchester United have been long-term admirers. The Red Devils were expected to make a move for Grealish in the summer. However, the move never materialised and he has shined in Villa’s good start to the campaign.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is another club linked with a move for Grealish. However, the Gunners would have little chance of winning a bidding war against the two Manchester giants.
City looking to rebuild midfield
While some will say that Manchester City have strong midfield options, they still look to be rebuilding their midfield. Spanish midfielder David Silva left the club in the summer after a decade long trophy-laden spell at City.
Youngster Phil Foden has been mooted as a direct replacement for the attacking midfielder. However, City head coach Pep Guardiola’s faith in the England international seems to be wavering. Silva’s compatriot Ferran Torres has not yet settled and started just three of the Citizens five league games this season.
Although Grealish is a different sort of player to Silva, the 25-year-old is versatile, so can play as part of the attack or occupy a deeper role when needed. At the moment, the attacking midfielder would be a great signing for any team.
Unlikely to leave Villa in January
Jack Grealish has thrived at Villa and is a star player for the Villans. He is a vital player for the club from the Midlands and unlike at City, he will start every game that he is fit to start.
With the Citizens, he would be part of the Guardiola rotation lottery. That wouldn’t be great for his chances of playing for England at Euro 2021. Grealish has had to work hard to get in the Three Lions team. Therefore, he won’t want to jeopardise that ahead of a major international tournament.
With Villa having a promising campaign and things coming together under Dean Smith, why would Grealish want to leave his boyhood club in the winter transfer window? If Villa qualifies for Europe for next season, which is not unreasonable in this season’s highly unpredictable campaign, then Jack Grealish may feel that he is happy where he is and may remain a Villan for the foreseeable future.
Will Jack Grealish leave Aston Villa in the January transfer window?
