Dean Smith Admits Retaining Jack Grealish Will Be Tough Amid Man United Rumours
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has said he's unsure if Jack Grealish will remain at the club, with Manchester United reportedly interested in the midfielder.
Grealish is set to captain Villa against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, but Smith has hinted his star player might leave in the summer.
According to James Nursey of the Mirror, the Villa boss was asked in his pre-match press conference whether winning the EFL Cup would keep Grealish at Villa Park, and the coach replied: "I don't know. That is a question we will have to answer in the summer."
The 24-year-old made his debut for his boyhood club in 2012, and the versatile forward has impressed since Villa's promotion last season.
Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News reported United are keen to swiftly complete a swoop for the player, with Grealish's contract thought to contain a £45 million release clause.
Smith explained retaining Grealish might depend on Villa's ability to avoid relegation back to the EFL Championship, per Nursey:
"Obviously staying in this league is probably one of the biggest things that will help us to keep Jack Grealish. He wants to play at the highest level and win trophies.
"We have to work hard on Sunday to try and win that trophy. Winning a trophy, well, you can say we have just won one.
"But Jack's future like all the rest of the players is down to what happens over the next three months. What we can do is assess it then."
Grealish was a highly rated talent outside of the top division, but he's proved this term his ceiling is much higher than previously anticipated.
The Sun's Paul Jiggins reported Tottenham Hotspur nearly completed a £6 million deal for Grealish just 18 months ago, but Spurs attempted to drive down the price, leading to the player remaining with his team. United are reportedly prepared to splash out £80 million to bring the winger to Manchester.
Grealish put on a masterclass during Villa's league visit to Old Trafford on December 1. The skipper netted a world-class strike to stun Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men. The game ended 2-2, but Grealish's curling effort at Stretford End will be remembered as one of the goals of the season.
United's priority remains earning a place in next season's UEFA Champions League, and if they achieve this objective, tempting Grealish might be much easier.
Grealish recently told Sky Sports his goal at United was the favourite of his career and revealed Old Trafford is "obviously my favourite ground in the Premier League" (h/t Metro).
The forward will be his side's biggest threat in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, and if Grealish can win the trophy for his team, his growing reputation will take yet another leap forward.
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