Newcastle United are reportedly interested in Jack Grealish, but will the hierarchy at the club make a deal for the £40m-rated Aston Villa midfielder impossible?
Leicester City are thought to be preparing a bid of around £20m, while Everton and West Ham United have also shown keen interest. Arsenal and Manchester United are even keeping an eye on Grealish.
Villa’s financial problems mean they are likely to sell the 22-year-old, but apparently they are holding out for £40m for one of their most prized assets.
A realistic deal for Newcastle?
Amazingly, the Magpies’ club record fee paid for a new player still stands at the £17m (BBC) they sanctioned in 2005 to bring in Michael Owen from Real Madrid.
Thirteen years on and that has still not been exceeded, with the Chronicle also reporting that the “layers of bureaucracy” Rafa Benitez has to go through to sign a player for more than £10m is one of the things that most frustrates the manager.
Even if a claim from the Mirror last month that owner Mike Ashley would give Benitez £80m to spend this summer are true, does it really seem likely that with Ashley still at St James’ Park half of that would be outlayed for one player such as Grealish?
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