Jack Grealish is ready to join Manchester United – with the outline of a deal already approved by the player – but formal transfer talks between the two teams have not taken place.
The 24-year-old stayed out of the transfer picture in the January window – as Villa seek to avoid relegation back to the Championship – but he is expected to move on at the end of the campaign.
He is understood to have begun house-hunting in anticipation of a transfer to United and a long-term contract at the theatre of dreams would be worth far north of the reported £100,000-per-week deal he currently earns at Villa Park.
His seven goals and five assists have been important for Villa this campaign, with one of those goals a fantastic effort in the draw against United back in December.
United have jumped to the head of the queue for the English star with the future of midfielder Paul Pogba still up in the air.
The Red Devils are keen to use a portion of the proceeds of any deal for Pogba into a transfer for Jack Grealish, who fits the profile for the kind of homegrown British talent that the club have signed in the last few transfer windows.
Pogba is currently out of action after a surgery and while it is believed that he will return to first team action in order to gain match fitness for Euro 2020 this summer, they are likely to be his final matches for Solskjaer’s side.
United signed Bruno Fernandes for an initial £46.5 million from Sporting Lisbon in January, but he is not the only player designated to improve their attacking options. Once Pogba leaves, there will be room for another attacking player.
Grealish has been linked with Manchester United for much of the campaign but Bruno Fernandes was seen as the easiest winter target to sign with Sporting happy to sell at the right price.
Grealish’s signing would give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer another attacking option as he can play as a winger on either flank, and can also operate behind the no.9.
