If Aston Villa can’t keep Jack Grealish, is Romaine Sawyers a viable replacement?
David Prutton has told The Express that Aston Villa boss Dean Smith should re-sign Romaine Sawyers in January, if Jack Grealish leaves.
Smith, who left Brentford to replace Steve Bruce at Aston Villa earlier this season, has previously worked with the 27-year-old midfielder at Griffin Park and Walsall.
With January fast approaching, it remains to be seen whether the Villans can retain the services of their £30 million prized asset, who was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham during the summer.
And Sky Sports pundit Prutton says that Smith should bring in Sawyers if the 23-year-old winds up leaving the West Midlands, but admits it’d be a ‘big test’ for the Bees star.
“If you look at the way Sawyers’ career has gone it mirrors Smith’s in many respects,” he told The Express. “Again, it would be another big step up for a player.
“With Sawyers – I’ve always enjoyed watching him. At Walsall he was a player that could make things happen. At Brentford the system they play suits him and he’s a bigger fish in that pond. At Villa it would be a real test.
“He’s got the ability, after that it’s about being able to cope with the demands a Villa crowd would put on him. Any new player that comes in will instantly get compared with what’s gone before. If they played in a way that got the best out of him – as Dean did at Brentford – then for the price he would probably command I don’t think he’d be a risky punt.”
Grealish hasn’t looked the same player for Aston Villa this season, netting once in 17 Championship outings.
For an attacking midfielder, that isn’t a great return, but it is better than Sawyers – rated at £3 million [Birmingham Mail] who hasn’t scored any in 17 league games for Brentford so far this season.
Having played under Smith at two different clubs, Sawyers would surely jump at the chance to work with the Villans boss again.
Despite a suspect goal return though, Grealish is a massive player for his boyhood club and Smith would need to get the replacement spot-on.
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