Newcastle United tipped to hijack dream Aston Villa reunion as ‘uncertain future’ claim made

In August 2021, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City hit the headlines in dramatic fashion when they were able to convince boyhood Aston Villa fan Jack Grealish to leave the West Midlands and complete a blockbuster £100m move to the Etihad Stadium.

It was the biggest deal in Premier League history at the time and made Grealish the most expensive British footballer in history ahead of the likes of Gareth Bale and Harry Maguire.

The winger has since won the Champions League, three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a UEFA Super Cup and a Club World Cup but has never looked quite as convincing in a City shirt as he did during his time at Villa Park.

Overall, Grealish has managed 17 goals and 23 assists in 155 matches across all competitions in a City shirt while in the Premier League alone this term he’s managed just one goal and one assist in 19 appearances which is a far cry from his final season with the Lions when he claimed six times as many goals and 10 times as many assists from 26 league outings.

Grealish is a part of a City team languishing in fifth position which after four consecutive title triumphs represents a fall from grace. He’s been given no guarantees about his future at the club, according to reports from The Mirror, which suggest the 29-year-old could be sold to help fund a radical rebuild from the seven-time Premier League champions this summer.

Could Jack Grealish return to Aston Villa

Aston Villa have gone on to achieve bigger and better things since Jack Grealish’s departure. They have reached the Conference League semi-final, finished fourth in the league, reached a Champions League quarter-final and are hunting down their first FA Cup since 1957 after reaching this year’s semi-final.

They remain in contention for football on the continent again and have welcomed in a host of star-studded names such as Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Youri Tielemans among others in recent transfer windows while progressing into one of the country’s top six teams.

However, Grealish was adored during his time at Villa Park and when in full flow remains a player with great invention, creativity, flair and the ability to change a game with his unique qualities.Many argue this has been nullified at City due to the rigid system of Pep Guardiola, with suggestions from Fichajes that the club ‘dream’ of bringing him back if the price is right.

Newcastle United tipped to hijack dream Aston Villa reunion

Newcastle United are one of the team’s competing with Aston Villa for a place in Europe and quite naturally the two are expected to be in a similar market when it comes to recruitment this summer. Reports from Caught Offside understand that Newcastle are keeping close tabs on the situation involving Grealish and are considering making a move themselves for the 39-time England international.

Grealish is primarily a left-winger which is something Newcastle have in abundance in Harvey Barnes and Antony Gordon. However, he’s also able to play through the centre and could potentially give the team a different dimension should they achieve qualification for European football this season.

The 29-year-old is under contract until 2027 and if he is made available is likely to have a significantly lower price tag than the £100m City spent on him. A move away from the Etihad could also boost the winger’s hopes of playing at the World Cup in 2026 after failing to make Thomas Tuchel’s first international squad for England.

Read More: 'Majestic' 'Splendid' - French media single Aston Villa trio out for praise after narrow aggregate loss to PSG