Jack Grealish completes Manchester City medical ahead of £100m transfer from Aston Villa
Jack Grealish has a £100m release clause in his contract; Grealish was torn about the decision to leave but Villa feel they are probably two or three years away from where they would need to be in their project to convince him to stay
Jack Grealish has completed a medical at Manchester City ahead of his proposed £100m transfer from Aston Villa.
City submitted their offer on Friday and it activated a £100m release clause in Grealish’s Villa contract.
The move would represent the biggest transfer in English football history, breaking the previous record held by Paul Pogba who rejoined Manchester United for £93.25m from Juventus in 2016.
Grealish, who was given an extended break after playing for England at Euro 2020, has been training with his Villa team-mates in London all week and was once again with the group on Wednesday.
It has been very difficult for 25-year-old Grealish to decide if he wants to leave the club he has supported all his life and been a part of for 19 years. He was absolutely torn about the decision.
Grealish’s decision has been accepted by the management and players at Villa, who wish him well for the future and hold no bitterness over his departure. They hope the fans share that same understanding and that Grealish’s legacy at the club will remain intact.
Villa feel they are probably two or three years away from where they would need to be in their project to convince Grealish to stay.
But they feel his departure may actually end up accelerating that process.
Villa did offer Grealish a new and improved contract earlier this summer, despite him signing a five-year deal last September.
Grealish is a Villa academy graduate and has made over 200 appearances for the club, scoring 32 goals.
Villa are expected to formalise their interest in Norwich City attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell once Grealish’s move to City is finalised.
As yet, there has been no official contact, but Norwich are aware of Villa’s interest.
With less than two weeks to go until the start of the season, Norwich do not want to lose Cantwell, and it would take a significant bid for them to even consider letting him go.
Norwich have a good relationship with Villa after they negotiated the sale of Emiliano Buendia in June.
Cantwell has entered the final year of his contract, and Norwich have the option to extend it by a further year.
