United eye Grealish as do others

NEWCASTLE United are monitoring the unfolding situation at Aston Villa as they – along with half of the Premier League – retain an interest in playmaker Jack Grealish.

Rafa Benitez wants a forwardthinking, creative midfielder and Grealish, Villa’s best player and an England under-21, would fit that bill.

The United boss has sourced a long list of targets as he tries to reshuffle his pack ahead of their second season back in the Premier League.

But with uncertainty over his budget, it’s not clear yet how viable his top targets are and United are once again looking to “box smart” in the transfer market – which might mean triggering release clauses and picking up players whose availability is triggered by circumstances.

Grealish (pictured below) would ideally like to stay at Villa Park but the club’s finances – there has been speculation about the club going into administration – means he will be available for transfer.

And Newcastle would be aware half of the clubs in the Premier League retain an interest in the midfielder – who Villa have slapped a £40million price tag on. Leicester, West Ham and Everton have all been linked with while Arsenal and Manchester United have also looked at him.

A bid of £20million from Leicester has been floated although Newcastle have never spent at that level and much of the debate over Benitez’s future seems to surround whether he will get that sort of money.

Indeed United’s financial muscle this summer could be dictated by the sort of price they get for assets like Aleksandar Mitrovic, Matz Sels and Chancel Mbemba. Stoke City enquired about Dwight Gayle, but he wants to stay and Benitez won’t sell while he is trying to upgrade his offensive options.