5. Jack Grealish
While I despise Tim Sherwood as a football manager, I must admit that he has a terrific eye for young talent. He was obviously a big fan of Jack Grealish during his time at Villa and that’s reason enough for Tottenham to give him a second look.
Remember, Sherwood gave several of Tottenham’s high-profile youth players their breakthrough into the first team. He saw something that most fans did not in the likes of Nabil Bentaleb, Tom Carroll and even Harry Kane. Sherwood went on record as the manager at Aston Villa as saying he wouldn’t sell Grealish for 60 million pounds. That’s quite a statement.
More from Aston Villa
- Aston Villa’s European project: Are they here to stay?
- Aston Villa sign Premier League journeyman Danny Ings
- Will Jack Grealish be Aston Villa’s equivalent to Jamie Vardy?
- Aston Villa are desperate for Liverpool to pressure Tottenham
- Aston Villa and Leeds United take shots at Wolves over Mendes link
While that actual statement is complete nonsense, it does make me interested in Grealish as a prospect. He’s had a decent amount of playing time at Villa this season and has performed at a below average Premier League level. Remember though, he’s still very young and he hasn’t been blessed with a talented squad around him.
That’s why I’m inclined to give him a break regarding his struggles on the pitch for Villa this season. I am more concerned about his off-the-pitch baggage, but one could explain that as normal for a teenager as well. Grealish wouldn’t be a safe purchase for Tottenham, but he could pay off in a big way.
He’d be worth a punt to see if he could ever put all of his talent to good use on the pitch. Tottenham can never have enough attacking midfielders while at Tottenham and Grealish could factor into that mix if he developed. I’ll be surprised if it happens, but Spurs would be wise to at least check into Grealish’s availability and mental stability this summer.
Next: 4. Rudy Gestede