In a recent interview (via The Sun), former Premier League midfielder Gareth Barry urged Aston Villa star Jack Grealish to stay at Villa Park as he fears the player might lose the ‘aura of being the main man’ if he leaves the Villans. Barry said, “The way he is playing and the confidence he’s got, there won’t just be one team in Europe wanting his signature, it will be a number of teams.
“The good point for Villa is the value of him is through the roof, you’re talking about big money if you want to buy him.
“Do Aston Villa need the money? I’m not sure they do. A lot about his future is going to be where Jack’s head is.
“He’s captain of the club he supports. If he leaves he’s probably going to lose that aura of being the main man.
“It’s big decisions ahead for Jack Grealish and Aston Villa. I’ve always said for him at the minute, just keep enjoying your football.
“He’s playing with a confidence I’ve not seen in him before. He’s got to enjoy it while it’s there because it can change quickly.”
Grealish’s Outstanding Form At Villa Park This Season
Grealish is enjoying another impressive season with the West Midlands club as he has produced some mesmerising displays from the left side of Dean Smith’s attack. The 25-year-old has registered seven goals and 12 assists in 22 matches for the Villans this term in multiple competitions.
The Birmingham-born playmaker has given a good account of himself by averaging 1.2 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 2.2 shots, 3.6 key passes and 2.9 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He has also been tidy when distributing possession in the opposition half as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 83.3% in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
What Does The England International Bring To The Table?
Grealish is a deceptively quick attacker who is a class act when he is dribbling with the ball at full swing down the left flank. He is always willing to take on his marker and beat them off the dribble to set up a goal-scoring chance for himself or a teammate around him.
The three-time England international has got the vision to pick out a killer pass deep inside the opponent’s half and is a potent goal-threat from long range due to his ability to strike the ball with power and precision. He can score or create goals regularly at the highest level, so Aston Villa would find it difficult to fend off interest from other top domestic and European clubs for his services in the future.
Why The Villans Need To Keep Hold Of Grealish For The Long-Run
At 25, Grealish is currently entering the prime years of his playing career, so the Villans supporters are yet to see the best out of him. Now that he has established himself as one of the top stars in English football, the next step for him would be to help the Villans challenge for some silverware in the coming seasons.
Most of the Midlands club’s recent success has been down to Grealish’s influential displays from the left-wing position. Hence, Dean Smith would be wise to keep hold of his talismanic captain for the long-run as he is precisely the type of player that the gaffer can continue to build a team around in search of more success in the years to come.
