According to the Athletic’s The Ornstein & Chapman podcast, Manchester City are showing more interest than Manchester United for Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish this summer. It is understood that the Villans captain is eager to seal a move to a UEFA Champions League club in this off-season which could open the door for Pep Guardiola to orchestrate a transfer to bring him to the Etihad Stadium before the transfer window slams shut in October.
Grealish’s Spectacular Campaign At The West Midlands
Grealish enjoyed the best campaign of his young career at Villa Park last season when he registered ten goals and eight assists in 41 games on all fronts. The Birmingham-born talent has come a long way since his days as a promising youth player in Aston Villa’s academy. He has matured into a top talent over the past few years but needs to taste some European football if he intends to unlock his true potential in the coming seasons.
The 24-year-old gave a good account of himself in both halves as he averaged 0.8 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 2.0 shots, 2.5 key passes and 2.0 dribbles per match in the Premier League last season. He even managed to distribute the ball well going forward after completing 84.8% of his attempted passes in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Grealish is a hard-working midfielder who can go box to box with his running and has a proven track record of scoring and creating goals in league football. Therefore, he ticks all the right boxes in terms of what Guardiola should look to add to his midfield department this summer. The English playmaker could also serve as an ideal long-term replacement for David Silva, even though he doesn’t have the technical qualities of the Spaniard.
What Will The English Midfield Ace Bring To The Table?
Grealish is proficient at making some lung-bursting runs towards the opponent’s penalty area and can interchange possession well with his teammates in the final third. He showed what he is capable of in the offensive end last season when he was involved in 18 goals for the Villans.
The English attacker’s goal-scoring habits from midfield could make him an intelligent addition to the Man City squad this summer. He will bring some energy and dynamism to the Etihad Stadium which could propel Pep Guardiola’s side to the top of English football once again next season. The versatile playmaker will add some serious competition for the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva and Tommy Doyle for a midfield berth in the Man City starting XI.
Is Grealish The Right Fit For Man City This Summer?
Grealish has all the skillset required to be a success story for a top Premier League club. He also possesses the hunger to win trophies at the highest level, so Man City could be a perfect home for him if Guardiola is willing to put his faith on the England U-21 international. At 24, Grealish is about to embark upon the prime years of his playing career which means that the Mancunian giants would be able to get the best out of him over the next few seasons.
