Steve Bruce confirms transfer inevitable for Grealish, Tottenham reportedly closing in

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Aston Villa will be forced to sell Jack Grealish this summer.

Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce has told Sky Sports News (09/07/2018, 19:30) that a move away for Jack Grealish is ‘inevitable’, and called him a ‘special talent’.

Villa enjoyed a strong season under Bruce but came up short in their bid for promotion, as they lost 1-0 to Fulham in the Championship play-off final back in May.

Failing to return to the Premier League meant Villa didn’t clinch new funding, and that has left the club in a dire financial situation both in terms of cash flow and Financial Fair Play regulations.

The reality is that Villa must sell players this summer in order to balance the books, and the main name in the frame to leave Villa Park is playmaker Jack Grealish.

The 22-year-old may have lost his way in the past, but he impressed in the Championship last term with three goals and six assists in 30 games, and was the standout performer in the play-off final too.

A boyhood Villa fan, Grealish won’t find it easy to move on, but he is Villa’s most valuable asset, and the Premier League beckons for one of the top talents in the Championship.

Reports from the Birmingham Mail last week claimed that Tottenham are leading the race for Grealish as they are the ‘only serious contenders’ for his signature, though chairman Daniel Levy will bide his time in an attempt to force Villa to take a lower offer than their valuation.

Now, Villa boss Steve Bruce has told Sky Sports News that he has loved working with Grealish, branding him a ‘special talent’, but admitted that a transfer for him is inevitable as Tottenham seemingly close in.

“It’s pretty brutal stuff out there,” said Bruce. “There’s nobody going to feel sorry for Aston Villa because financially we’ve got ourselves into a bit of a pickle. Yes, we’ve got to be ready for that. I’ve enjoyed working with Jack. Jack is the obvious one that clubs are going to look at because he had a wonderful six months.”

“He reminded everyone what a very good player he is at 22-years-old. On another day at Wembley he could have scored one of the great goals. He’s a special talent. Yes, you don’t want to lose him but the inevitable thing is, we have to,” he added.