I just could not say no
JACK IS CITY’S NEW NO.10
JACK GREALISH admitted there were “a lot of reasons” why he swapped boyhood clubAstonVilla for Manchester City.
As he did so the envious and cynical from other clubs will have joined in a resounding chorus of ‘yeah… about 100 million of them’.
But while there is no getting away from headline numbers which have established a new high-water mark in British transfer business, what shone as brightly was the enthusiasm and excitement of a unique talent at the possibilities now open to him.
The numbers are huge with Grealish, Aston Villa and City agreeing a £100m deal that will see the player earn more than £93m at £300,000 a week spread over six years until 2027.
It eclipses the £89m Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba back in 2016.
Yet it was the talk of playing alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden, under the tutelage of the best coach in the world in Pep Guardiola, which got Grealish motoring. And the very real prospect of winning the biggest prizes available had him going through the gears.
“I have been an Aston Villa fan for my whole life, but when I spoke to the manager here and you see what type of players they have got here, in the end it was something I couldn’t say no to,” he said.
“There are a lot of reasons why I decided to come and the manager has been a massive factor – playing under the best manager in the world was something I couldn’t really turn down.
“Everyone knows how much I admire Kevin. It is going to become a dream come true to play alongside him.
“Phil Foden is unbelievable. He has got the best first touch I have ever seen, whether the ball is coming out of the sky or whether it is coming back into him, he is just so smooth the way he dribbles with the ball. And competing for major trophies is something that I wanted to do.”
Grealish will take the No.10 shirt vacated by Sergio Aguero, which some thought reserved for another transfer target, Harry Kane. But he admitted Guardiola sees his versatility as one of his strongest assets. “The way this team is set up to play suits me down to a tee,” said Grealish. “I have spoken to the manager already about positions and I could play as a number eight, if the manager plays a 10, either wing or even as a false nine.
“Playing in the Champions League was a massive thing for me. To be able to do it with this club is going to be a dream.”