Premier League giants warned off Villa star Jack Grealish

Aston Villa says clubs "can keep looking but they can't touch" as Jack Grealish continues to be linked with the likes of Manchester United.

Published : Jan 03, 2020 18:59 IST

Aston Villa star Jack Grealish has been involved in six goals and five assists in the Premier League season.
Aston Villa star Jack Grealish has been involved in six goals and five assists in the Premier League season.
lightbox-info

Aston Villa star Jack Grealish has been involved in six goals and five assists in the Premier League season.

Jack Grealish will not be leaving Aston Villa in the January transfer window, manager Dean Smith vowed on Friday as he issued a hands-off warning to the Premier League big guns.

The 24-year-old, who has shone for Villa since its return to the top division, has been linked with clubs including Manchester United.

However, Villa is determined Grealish will remain a key player for the club, with Smith saying it will not entertain bids for the Birmingham-born midfielder.

"I think he's a big target for many teams and you can see why," said Smith, whose side head to Fulham in the FA Cup on Saturday.

"He's a top player but as I've said before, our owners are very ambitious and want to establish us as a top Premier League club.

"To do that you have to keep your best players, so we'll be keeping hold of Jack Grealish. People can keep looking but they can't touch."

Villa has lost striker Wesley and goalkeeper Tom Heaton to season-ending knee injuries, which is set to influence the club's transfer activity this month.

Smith said he would hold talks with sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch and chief executive Christian Purslow ahead of the trip to Craven Cottage. 

"It will probably hasten what we do in the market," Smith said. "I’ll sit down with them and see what we’re going to do and how quickly we’re going to do it."

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment