Aston Villa set for transfer lift amid ‘silly’ Grealish return verdict – Exclusive
This article includes exclusive comment from former Aston Villa scout Bryan King.
Aston Villa’s transfer window has become dominated by speculation surrounding a potential return for Jack Grealish over the last few weeks.
The England international has fallen badly out of favour with Pep Guardiola, and the Spanish boss seems keen to do everything he can to get him out of the door this summer.
Villa are keen to bring Grealish back to his former home, but several other Premier League clubs are also keen to bring him in, including the likes of Everton and West Ham.
Unai Emery’s side could offer a crucial way out for the 29-year-old, who desperately needs to get away from Manchester City for the good of his career.
Aston Villa would be ‘silly’ to not sign Grealish if they got the chance
Villa’s pursuit of Grealish has been complicated by the fact that there are numerous other suitors for the
The Villans would face an understandably tough decision if that situation did arise, but with City seemingly keen to get the star off their books, it would likely not come to that extreme.
Ex-Villa scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Villa News – believes that Emery and Co. would regret it if they passed up on the opportunity to re-sign their former star this summer.
“Personally, I think a move back to the Midlands would suit Jack, and it would certainly suit the supporters,” King said.
“It would give everybody at Villa a lift if he returned.
“I think it would be quite exciting for the football club and for him to get a new chance as such.
“I think Villa would be silly to pass up the opportunity to sign him, if they got it.”
Villa need to follow their heart in Grealish decision
Villa will know that Grealish has not been the player he once was over the last few seasons, but there are certain situations where clubs should follow their heart rather than their head in football.
They know first-hand what an unplayable threat the 29-year-old can be when he’s at the top of his game, and they must surely back themselves to be the club that can bring his best football out of him once again.
| Club | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| Aston Villa | 207 | 32 | 37 |
| Manchester City | 157 | 17 | 23 |
| Notts County (Loan) | 37 | 5 | 5 |
Grealish has a huge emotional attachment to his boyhood club, and it would revitalise the feeling around Villa Park if the club could get a deal over the line to secure his return.
They suffered a major blow by missing out on Champions League qualification on the final day of last season, but bringing their former star back could provide a crucial boost.
Logic may suggest that Grealish is now past his best, but Villa may find it hard to resist the temptation to bring him home.
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