Aston Villa are expecting offers for captain Jack Grealish in January with Jurgen Klopp’s Premier League champions Liverpool joining the Manchester giants in targeting the England star, as reported by the Mirror.
Back in October, the Merseyside giants found out first-hand just how good Grealish can be.
“What a footballer,” Klopp sighed at the end of 90 remarkable minutes at Villa Park, as Dean Smith’s side hit the champions of England for seven during one of the most stunning victories ever seen in the top flight.
Grealish scored twice and produced a hat-trick of assists during that iconic 7-2 victory; a performance which not only catapulted the Holte End hero into the world-class bracket but also swelled his price-tag into the £100 million-plus region.
It is no surprise that Liverpool are interested – every major European club worth their salt must have a dossier or two on the Villa skipper these days – but whether they can realistically sign Grealish is another matter.
That £100 million-plus transfer fee may be out of reach for a Liverpool side who, while hardly short of cash, have kept their chequebook in their pocket during a period of unprecedented financial uncertainty.
Then again, with a couple of eye-catching interviews suddenly casting Mo Salah’s long-term future into doubt, the rumour mill is unlikely to slow down any time soon.
Villa hold all the cards, however, having tied Grealish down to a new five-year deal worth £130,000-a-week recently.
Furthermore, given the Birmingham-born 25-year-old’s lifelong association with the claret-and-blue giants, don’t expect him to hand in a transfer request any time soon.
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