‘Difficult’ to keep Grealish if he has a good Euros, says ex-Villa man

Former Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton has admitted that it will be “difficult” for the club to keep Jack Grealish if he impresses at the Euros.

The Englishman has been brilliant for the Villans over the past two years. He dragged them to safety last season as he grabbed eight goals and six assists for his boyhood club.

Grealish stepped that up in 2020/21 even though he missed 12 league games through injury. He notched six goals and ten assists for Aston Villa from his 26 outings in the top flight.

Grealish at heart of form v system debate for England

The midfielder has been heavily linked with Man United and Man City in recent months.

Hutton has told Football Insider that Grealish should be starting for England at the Euros:

“I genuinely hate talking about it but it’s part of it. He’s a fantastic player. For me he would start (for England), it’s a no brainer.”

“Obviously, opinions differ but he’d be in my starting XI. He just makes things happen. People talk about the amount of times he gets fouled around the box but that’s not just him.

“He offers everything, he can play in midfield, wide left, number 10. He’s a creator and he can score goals. If he goes away, starts and he has a good tournament, it’s going to be difficult to hold on to him.

“We know the likes of Man City are circling about him, talking £100million. That kind of money, it would be hard to try and hold onto him. He’s definitely been the main man for Villa, their talisman. He kept them up the other season.

“I think they would have done even better last season had he not been injured. It’s one of those things, we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

“I hope he does stay because the way the squad’s looking at the moment and the additions that are possibly coming in, they can be a real force next season.”