After failing to land him in the summer, Manchester United may well reignite their interest in Aston Villa star Jack Grealish at the end of the season.
The Red Devils were said to be ‘determined’ to sign the England international in August despite his hefty £80m price tag, although their interest seemed to cool once Ajax’s Donny van de Beek was brought to Old Trafford in a £40m deal at the start of September.
Grealish would go on to sign a new five-year deal at Villa Park, ending any transfer speculation before the deadline in early October.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a superb 2019/20 campaign on Villa’s return to the top flight, guiding them to safety with 14 goal contributions in 36 games.
His talent has only been illuminated further in a comfortably superior Villa side this time around. The Villans currently sit sixth in the Premier League table after winning five of their opening seven fixtures.
Grealish, meanwhile, has started the season with an impressive haul of four goals and five assists, most recently masterminding an emphatic 3-0 victory at Arsenal.
It’s understood there was uncertainty in the summer over where the Villa skipper would fit in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s system at United, but Manchester Evening News now reports that the Red Devils could potentially go back in for Grealish at the end of the season.
While the England international was previously seen as a rotational option for the Red Devils, his current remarkable level of performance means he would now be viewed as an essential first-team asset for United.
United made it clear they would look to sign the best homegrown talent as part of their ongoing cultural reset under Solskjaer, meaning they won’t be able to ignore someone as impressive as Grealish while that criteria remains in play.
Also, with Van de Beek struggling to make an impression and Juan Mata potentially leaving the club on a free transfer at the end of 2020/21, United may see themselves needing to invest in creative midfield positions next summer and Grealish will surely be a priority.
However, the fact the 25-year-old recently signed a contract extension hands Villa much greater leverage in regard to a valuation should any negotiations take place.
Follow our socials Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google News.
