After a miserable start to the campaign, Crystal Palace did pretty well to avoid the drop last season, as they finished close to the top half of the table under Roy Hodgson. The English manager has a decent squad at his disposal at Selhurst Park but Palace lacks a quality playmaker, that can win them games consistently.
They had Ruben-Loftus Cheek in that role last season but were not able to tie him down on a permanent deal. And Hodgson is now desperate to add another creative star to his side this summer. One such player they are now linked with is Aston Villa star, Jack Grealish.
The 22-year old Birmingham born star joined Villa’s academy as a six-year-old and made his debut for the first team in 2013. He was sent out on loan that season but returned as a real asset for the Villains, cementing a place in the first team.
Grealish made 17 and 16 Premier League appearances in the next two seasons but went down with Villa in 2016. However, he managed to find real form in the Championship and has now grown into one of the best players in his role in the competition.
He registered three goals and six assists in 22 league starts last season after he broke into the England U21 side the year before. He was crucial in Villa narrowly missing out on promotion but he could now be sold this summer, as Aston Villa are in need to comply with the Financial Fair Play rules.
Now under new Egyptian owners, Villa are in need of raising funds up to £40m, to even tie new stars to loan deals and reports suggest that Grealish could be sold, and will come with a price tag of £30m. Tottenham Hotspur remains firm favourites to land him but Crystal Palace have now reportedly joined the race for his signature. Hodgson is without a quality playmaker in his side and regular first-team action might be enough for them to lure Grealish to Selhurst Park.
He can play in an advanced midfielder role and adds great balance to the side. He can also play on either wing, while his ability to create chances consistently and control the game in the final third, makes him a huge asset for the Eagles.
At just 22, he is easily one of the most exciting stars on display in England and his potential justifies his price tag. However, Palace will not find it easy to fend off interest from Spurs, but do you think the Eagles can land Grealish this summer?
