In a recent edition of ESPN FC, renowned journalist Mark Ogden offered an update on Manchester City‘s pursuit of Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish this summer. It is understood that Man City will step up their attempts to sign the England international after the conclusion of the UEFA European Championships (via ESPN FC).
Grealish’s Excellent Numbers At Villa Park Last Season
Grealish enjoyed a productive campaign with his boyhood club as he continued to flourish as Dean Smith’s main weapon up top. The Three Lions star was involved in 27 matches for the Villans last season, finding the back of the net on seven occasions and grabbing 12 assists across all competitions.
The 25-year-old gave a good account of himself down the left-wing after he averaged 1.9 shots, 3.1 key passes and 2.5 dribbles per game in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign. He also took care of the ball well when distributing possession in the opposition half as he completed 83.3% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Grealish is currently enjoying a great run with England in the UEFA European Championships where Gareth Southgate’s men will now face off against Denmark with a chance to clinch a spot in the final of the Euros on Wednesday evening. Hence, it is no surprise that Man City are waiting for the competition to conclude before making a push to get the Villans captain on board this summer.
Should Man City Recruit Grealish This Summer?
Grealish is a deceptively quick presence who can make some clever sprints down the left flank. He can whip in some dangerous crosses into the opposition penalty box and has a knack for engineering a few meaningful openings for his teammates up top. The ten-time England international can strike the ball with power and precision from long range and has already proven his worth as a goal-scoring midfielder in Premier League football.
Hence, Grealish will be a great fit for Man City this summer as he will add plenty of firepower to Pep Guardiola’s frontline. He is more than capable of competing with Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden for a place on the left wing in Guardiola’s starting XI.
The Mancunian giants could also choose to play Grealish in the number ten position so that he can influence the game more often and create a lot of key opportunities for others around him. All in all, it makes sense for Guardiola to step up his efforts to recruit Grealish before the start of the new campaign. At 25, the Villa skipper’s best years are ahead of him, so Man City can expect to make the most out of his services in the coming seasons if they can convince the West Midlands side to sell their prized asset this summer.
