Barcelona, Real Madrid should beat Man Utd to Grealish – Allardyce

Sam Allardyce reckons Manchester United could be beaten to the signing of Jack Grealish this summer – by Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Grealish has been Aston Villa’s stand out player this season and the club face a battle to keep hold of the 24-year-old in the summer, regardless of whether they avoid an immediate return to the Championship or not.

Report this week claim the England hopeful has become United’s top midfield target after James Maddison moved closer to signing a new deal at Leicester.

And pundit Ray Parlour has explained why the £80m-rated star would be the perfect addition for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this summer.

“Everybody has got a price,” Parlour told talkSPORT. “And he would be £80m plus in the market in the moment.

“With the sort of money sloshing around in the Premier League then he would be around that money.

“He’s a real complete midfielder. So many people who have worked with him as well say he’s got so much talent and going to a big club like Manchester United, can he do it at the top level?”

Reports in Thursday’s Sun claim both Real Madrid and Barcelona have joined the race to sign Grealish – and Allardyce reckons the player has what it takes to excel in LaLiga.

“Jack is the key element in everything Villa seem to do,” Allardyce told talkSPORT.

“He’s scored more goals and got more assists this season, he’s looking like a real player and he’s handled the Premier League like he should have always been there.

 

“I think that’s going to create a massive interest across the European clubs because of the quality of play he shows on the ball, the calmness, the final pass and now the finish as well.

“It wouldn’t be beyond clubs like Barcelona or Real Madrid to look at him, the only is question is could he handle it at a club of that size?

“And I would like to think he could, based on how he has stepped up in the Premier League for Villa.”

Barcelona, meanwhile, could also be set for another raid on the Premier League after this revelation from director of football Eric Abidal about Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.