Man Utd told to ditch Jack Grealish pursuit because of two players
Manchester United have been told that they no longer need to pursue a deal for Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish because of two Old Trafford stars.
The Red Devils have been weighing up a summer move for the impressive creative midfielder since the turn of the year.
Although Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho remains top of Ed Woodward’s wishlist, he is also drawing up plans to move to Grealish.
Indeed, United have already turned to a former Villa boss to get the lowdown on how the 24-year-old would cope with a switch to Old Trafford.
However, BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks thinks there were signs in United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham which prove they do not need to raid Villa.
Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba played together for the first time in the heart of the midfield when the latter came off the bench in the second half.
The Frenchman won the penalty which Fernandes scored to show signs of what might be to come at Old Trafford.
And Crooks thinks the blossoming relationship between the two United stars could lead Woodward into a summer rethink.
“It was the introduction of Paul Pogba and Marcus Greenwood that changed Manchester United’s fortunes against Tottenham. But it was Bruno Fernandes who looked the part,” Crooks told the BBC, as cited in the Daily Express.
“With Fernandes and Pogba in the side, they suddenly look like a midfield to be taken seriously as opposed to what we saw earlier in the season. Which was a group of soccer adolescents hurriedly thrown together and learning on the job.
“With a fit Pogba and Fernandes running the show, they no longer need Jack Grealish.
“The likes of Scott McTominay, Fred and Nemanja Matic are the real support acts.”
United are known to be actively looking to bolster their ranks this summer in a bid to close the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City.
However, club legend Ryan Giggs thinks Woodward should be more focused on trying to sign a world-class striker.
“I mean, if a quality player like that [Grealish] comes available, United are going to be [interested],” Giggs told Premier League Productions.
“He looks like a United player, he takes the ball, he attracts loads of fouls.
“I would say that we definitely need a centre-forward.
“Someone who, if a team is deep, is going to play deep and be on the end of those passes, crosses and score 25 goals.
“I still think if we’re going to catch City, we’re three or four players short.
“But [it’s] definitely exciting and promising with Bruno [Fernandes] and [Paul] Pogba coming into the team.”