With Villa having just six games now to save our skin after a 1-0 home defeat to Wolves, the transfer rumour mill is ramping up when it comes to Jack Grealish.
Grealish huffed and puffed against Wolves, with the highlights including an attempt on goal in the first half, almost providing an assist for Hourihane as well as a neat volleyed effort in the second period.
That aside, our star man drifted in and out of a game he struggled to influence. Indeed, there have been too many games where he’s had little in the way of support from inferior team-mates and an over-reliance upon him in general this season.
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The latest news is perhaps of little surprise, but underlines that irrelevant of Villa’s outcome this season, Grealish looks increasingly likely to be off.
Villa are facing the prospect of either having to make wholesale changes should relegation occur or revisit a squad that looks barely fit for purpose in the event we do avoid the drop.
Manchester United are reported to be readying a bid in the region of £80m – an eye watering figure if accurate.
This is becoming an on-going transfer saga with a seemingly inevitable outcome, something we wrote on recently.
To add further fuel to this fire is a story today that reveals Grealish is making strides to purchase a property in the Manchester area:
If there is one positive aspect it appears that Villa have some protection in terms of fee, regardless of whether we get relegated. Grealish has three years remaining on his deal, which appears to include significant protection in terms of release fee. Anything in the region of £80m is remarkable for any footballer, let alone Grealish.
Equally, Manchester United are is desperate need to refresh and rejuvenate their squad and brand, having seen Liverpool and Manchester City now surpass them on the field.
Leicester City also seem to have acquired a formula for staying towards the top end of the division. United also remain under unexpected pressure from relative small-fry sides like Wolves in competing for the remaining Champions League places.
In short they need to strengthen and Grealish represents an obvious player who could both compliment what they do have and indeed improve them.
From a Villa perspective, aside from any fee, this would obviously represent a significant loss of our marquee player.
Quite who and how we might replace Grealish with will require some serious thought, with the calibre of attracting talent contingent upon what division we find ourself in next season.
Given that Jack graduated through Villa’s academy system and with the lack of obvious talent emerging that’s first team ready, that also underlines another problem we have to face up to.
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All of this Grealish conversation I believe has de moralised the team, the better players know very well they will also go, so no one gives a stuff anymore.
I think the management are to blame for letting this continue, if it’s true then take the 80m and send him on his way with thanks from the fans, even Jack is not bigger than the club. Sad to say but reality I’m afraid to placate the fans Smith has to go now. We’re Championship bound barring a miracle so no choice we have to make the best of it, however our recruitment has to change it has been absolute garbage no more weak reserve players.
I think Grealish’s departure might benefit the balance of the side in the long run. We have to either opt to play him wide or potentially isolate the centre forward if he is brought in behind him. He simply doesn’t run beyond the target man as a number 10 needs to do.
Clearly very skilled in a side short in that department, Super Jack doesn’t always translate his ability consistently into meaningful results. Until this season, his goal scoring record was poor.
Yes, he has to move on and for the best price possible, but I do not see this being £80M, particularly during a COVID-19 damaged season. Clubs will just not fork out that sort of money for a player who is not an international regular and with still a lot to prove.
If we survive the drop, Grealish should asked “do you truly want to leave?”.
If he does, then let him go.
Nobody, but nobody is irreplaceable.
If he wants to leave, I would be massively disappointed in him.
He has the chance to become Villa’s greatest ever player. That would mean more to me, as a lifetime fan than any amount of money or trophies with another club.
The thought of him playing and scoring for another club, at VP, I would actually find sickening. I certainly wouldn’t attend to see it happen.
When Gabby said he couldn’t imagine putting on another shirt, it really resonated with me. I admired him greatly for saying it. That is exactly how I feel.
I have supported Villa for over 50 years and we have sold many better players than Jack Grealish and survived No one is bigger than our club. What does annoy me though is the way Solskear and Woodward have gone on about this since the turn of the year. No respect for the club that is paying Grealish and now we find out he has bought a house up there already. Now we should make them pay over the odds and not flinch. £70m plus Tuanzabe coming our way as part of the deal and if Tuanzabe prefers to stay there as a bench warmer the straight deal is £85m
If Utd bulk at that tough Jack might have bought a house for nothing.
i think hes massively overated
I would drop him for our next game and see how he like it .
He hasn’t wanted to play for us for a while, no interested.
I think that he could at least play to keep us up. A 77 year old supporter!!