Jack Grealish playing for Aston Villa in 2014
Jack Grealish playing for Aston Villa in 2014 (Image: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Former manager Alex McLeish has spoken about how he helped Aston Villa keep the teenage Jack Grealish, after hearing he was speaking to representatives who were tempting him to sign for Manchester United.
McLeish did not hand Grealish his senior debut but had tracked him during his academy journey. That led to him being named on the bench in a home Premier League clash with Chelsea in March 2012.
Grealish did not make his first-team Villa debut until May 2014 when he was used as a late substitute by Paul Lambert in a 4-0 defeat to, ironically, Manchester City. The playmaker would end up joining the Blues seven years later for a British record fee of £100million.
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The 29-year-old has gone on to win three Premier League titles, a Champions League and an FA Cup as well as the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. However, it seems Grealish could have easily moved to the red half of Manchester instead.
Speaking to BirminghamLive’s Claret & Blue podcast in 2020, McLeish explained how United had taken an interest in Grealish when he was aged just 16.
"At that moment we felt people were getting in contact with him to leave Villa - that was one of the main reasons to get him involved with us (in the first team),” the Scot explained.
"He would have been on the bench anyway because of the casualties we had. He was the best youngster coming through. When we played Man United we heard he was in a restaurant being courted by one of the agents to try and get him to Man United.
"We were a bit alarmed about that so we fought well to keep him. We knew he loved Villa, his old man as well. We had them in speaking to them. They're lovely people.
"They asked for something and the club went ‘it's too much’ but, finally, you come to an agreement and everybody's happy. Jack stayed at Aston Villa, which is great to see one of the great players of Villa nowadays staying with his boyhood club."
Grealish has been the subject of some frustration from a number of Manchester City fans over his subdued output. He has been exclusively used as a winger under Pep Guardiola and has registered only 14 goals in 142 City matches.
There are now questions over his future at the Etihad. He travels back to his old stomping ground this weekend when City travel to Villa Park for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off, having won every game he’s played in against the Villans.
Amid Man City’s poor form, Villa will fancy their chances against the champions. Supporters may give a warm reception to Grealish but will hope their team inflicts another defeat on him given a win takes the club above City in the table.