Manchester City signs Jack Grealish from Aston Villa on six-year deal

Manchester City has signed England midfielder Jack Grealish from Aston Villa on a six-year contract, both Premier League clubs announced on Thursday.

FILE PHOTO: Grealish is an Aston Villa Academy graduate and has over 200 appearances and 32 goals for the club.

Manchester City has signed England midfielder Jack Grealish from Aston Villa on a six-year contract, both Premier League clubs announced on Thursday.

City did not disclose the transfer fee but British media reported that the deal was worth 100 million pounds ($139.27 million) making Grealish the most expensive player in Premier League history.

The 25-year-old had four years left on his Villa contract after signing a new deal in September last year.

Grealish's move to Premier League champions City breaks the previous record held by France midfielder Paul Pogba, who rejoined Manchester United from Juventus in 2016 for a reported fee of 89.3 million pounds.

"City are the best team in the country with a manager considered to be the best in the world – it’s a dream come true to be part of this club," Grealish said in a statement.

"Over the past 10 seasons, they have won major trophies consistently. Pep (Guardiola) coming here has taken them to the next level and the football this team plays is the most exciting in Europe."

Grealish started his career at Villa's academy before making his senior debut in 2014. The playmaker, who was given the captain's armband in March 2019, played more than 200 games for the West Midlands club, scoring 32 goals.

Grealish represented Ireland at youth level but switched allegiance to England in 2015, making his Under-21 debut a year later. He earned his senior cap in September 2020 and has since played 12 times for the Three Lions.

He was part of England's campaign at Euro 2020, where coach Gareth Southgate's team lost to Italy in a penalty shootout in the final.

Grealish's signing will strengthen manager Pep Guardiola's squad as the Spaniard looks to retain their Premier League title and fight for Champions League glory.

British media said City is also keen to sign Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane for a fee reported to be in excess of 100 million pounds.

City faces FA Cup holders Leicester City in the Community Shield on Saturday. It begins its league title defence with a trip to Spurs on August 15.