Man City offered Grealish ‘kick in the teeth’ warning as transfer talk resurfaces

Manchester City are once again being linked with a move for Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish, but Danny Mills says any approach for the England international would be a “kick in the teeth” for Phil Foden.

Pep Guardiola is said to be in the process of piecing together plans for upcoming transfer windows.

Grealish, who the Catalan coach has admitted to being an admirer of in the past, is generating speculation when it comes to a possible £100 million ($134m) switch away from Villa Park.

Editors’ Picks

The Etihad Stadium could be one potential landing spot for the highly-rated 25-year-old, with his qualities being showcased for club and country over recent weeks.

Goal 50 Revealed: The best 50 players in the world

Mills can appreciate why City would be willing to buy into such ability, but he is not convinced that another creative influence is needed in Manchester – given the options already at the Blues’ disposal.

“My concern for Jack going to Man City is where does he fit into that system and where does he play?” former Blues defender Mills told talkSPORT.

“Sergio Aguero is going to be the number nine and if not it’s going to be Gabriel Jesus and they’ve brought in Ferran Torres – he’s doing OK.

“You’ve got Raheem Sterling on the other side and then you drop into the midfield area where you probably expect Jack to play.

“Would it be a kick in the teeth for Foden if that happens?

“For all we’ve heard about how great Foden is and Guardiola goes on about how he is one of the best young players he’s ever seen and coached, he still isn’t playing that much for how great he thinks he is.

“That’s the only position I see him taking.

“If Grealish goes to City, does he start week-in, week-out? And that’s a player in such great form that he is at the moment, do you leave your club for an outside chance that you’re going to go and win the Premier League with the position City are in at the moment?

“Are they going to win the Champions League? It doesn’t look like it but I understand it would be an opportunity he’d certainly have to look at.

“But also then add to that going there and thinking ‘well, I might only make 20 or 25 starts’, you start to think ‘is that the right move for me?’”

Grealish was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United over the summer, while north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal have been credited with interest, but he penned a new contract with Villa in September that is due to keep him in the West Midlands through to 2025.