Christian Purslow thinks that Jack Grealish can be at Aston Villa what Steven Gerrard was to Liverpool.
Gerrard, who is now the manager of Rangers, was on the books of Liverpool from 1989 until 2015 when he left for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the USA.
During his time at Anfield, the former England international was one of the best midfielders in the world and drove the team from the midfield.
Villa chief executive Purslow believes that 23-year-old Grealish – who can operate as a winger or as an attacking midfielder – can be the Villans’ Gerrard.
Purslow has also admitted that had the Villans not been promoted to the Premier League, then the club would have had to sell Grealish.
Purslow told The Times about Grealish: “Jack is the heart and soul and face of our club. He’s kind, generous and incredibly driven. He lit up the Championship.
“He was unplayable. If we hadn’t been promoted it would have been impossible to keep a player who’d performed at that level.
“He had a £60 million escape clause. Somebody would probably have invoked it. Jack can be Villa’s Steven Gerrard in terms of importance and impact to his club.”
Important player
Grealish is one of the best young players in England, and the 23-year-old can only improve in the coming years.
The attacker will be a key figure for Villa this season as well in the coming years, as the Villans aim to re-establish themselves in the Premier League.
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