Mason can build elsewhere

The reason is United’s rich history with wonderfully gifted, maverick players.

From George Best through to Eric Cantona, they’ve almost always had one and each ends up being labelled “the new so-andso” – even when they’re not.

We’ve all seen enough of Grealish to know that he wouldn’t be compared to Best.

But we also know he has the ability, on any given day, to be world class and take your breath away with the things he can do with a football.

Given the age of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team, he’d be

looking to build a young team around him, to make him the focal point.

And my worry is combining that with the history, mystique and mythology at Old Trafford could potentially be bad for him.

So, instead of United, I’d say Chelsea would be a much better option – and that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool would be an infinitely better option than both.

Because what Grealish needs is to be at a club where it’s hard work getting into the team and even harder work staying there. That would definitely be the case at Liverpool, a club already set up to get the best out of his

considerable talents. He’d be a tailor-made replacement for – and an upgrade on – Adam Lallana, who is on his way out of the door at Anfield.

There’d be a nice deal in that for Villa, too, if they were canny.

Chelsea’s a different story because they are still a work in progress.

Trophies

But if he was looking at working with Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and, in particular, Frank Lampard and Jody Morris over the next few years, he would have a better opportunity to win trophies and get the best out of himself there than at United.

Lampard and Morris have experience of working with young players, which would benefit Grealish, and they know, from their own playing careers, what it takes to walk into a dressing room laden with big-name stars.

They would know when to allow him to let his hair down and when to keep him on the straight and narrow, and I know that would suit someone like Jack.

I’ll inevitably get stick from some United fans who say: “Rubbish, Collymore, it’s just because you played for Liverpool that you don’t want him to join us” – but that’s not true.

I say it because that would be the best fit.

As I’ve said before, United came in for me before I joined Liverpool and, realistically, I should have gone there.

That choice was taken out of my hands, as it happened, because Andy Cole went there.

But I’d have been a better fit at United than Liverpool at that time because, in Sir Alex Ferguson, they had a stronger manager than Roy Evans.

They had a regime where they brought through young players, but dampened down their going on nights out – and the style of play would really have suited me as well.

Liverpool were pass, move, pass, move, and a little dogmatic at times.

United were like Liverpool are now – more fluid, they played longer balls and shorter balls – and that was more in keeping with my game.

Liverpool was the right club for me, but at the wrong time.

And I’m convinced Grealish, should he join United, would look back one day and think similarly.

TO my eye, Mason Greenwood is a hybrid of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.

Plenty of speed, eye for goal and, at the moment, fearless.

But I expect Manchester United to spend big this summer and, unless you are a Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney, when was the last time a teenager like him played 30-odd games in the Premier League?

Jadon Sancho smelled the coffee pretty quickly at Manchester City, recognising his talents were best served by getting out and playing games.

And I think that, once Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s motives become apparent at Old Trafford, Greenwood should be on to his agent about getting a move out of there.

Not on a permanent basis – but just for a season – on the understanding that he plays every week.

Brighton – under Graham Potter – or Bournemouth, with Eddie Howe, may be two destinations to suit him.

And I wouldn’t write off a stint at West Brom under Slaven Bilic, either. He’s going to learn far more – and return to Manchester United a far better striker – if he’s got a season of top-flight football under his belt.