Manchester United’s chances of signing Jack Grealish took a hit yesterday.
Manchester United fans had mixed feelings as Arsenal’s incredibly frustrating and inconsistent campaign took another turn as they lost to relegation-battling Aston Villa, leaving the FA Cup final as their only hope for European qualification this season.
The win has much bigger consequences for Villa, who will now just need to match Watford’s result in their final match (incidentally against Arsenal) to secure their Premier League status for the 2020/21 season.
Villa have been stuck in the relegation zone for most of the current campaign, with Dean Smith’s men struggling to adapt to the top flight despite some expensive signings.
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But survival could now mean that Villa might be able to hold on to club captain Jack Grealish, who has been incessantly linked with a move to Manchester United since January.
Grealish has been the standout performer for his boyhood club since their return to the Premier League, scoring 7 goals and providing 6 assists.
The 24-year-old is understood to be open to a move to United, and Villa’s relegation would have given the Red Devils a considerable bargaining chip.
Villa are likely to demand around £80 million now that their fate is in their own hands, which is double the amount United could have signed Grealish for otherwise.
While the England international would have certainly been a valuable addition to Ole Gunnar Solskjær‘s squad, United’s necessity for a creative midfielder has also reduced since Bruno Fernandes‘ arrival.
It is understood that a right-winger is a top priority now, and Borussia Dortmund could demand a fee in the ballpark of £90 million to £100 million for Jadon Sancho.
Ed Woodward and Solskjær will go all out for the youngster, further reducing their chances of spending the exorbitant amount that the Lions are likely to ask for Grealish.
A centre forward and a defender follow Sancho in United’s list of priorities, as Solskjær looks to build on the positive momentum that his team has gained since January.