Report: Manchester City closing in on potential £100M deal for Grealish
Manchester City are in talks to sign Jack Grealish from Aston Villa this summer in a deal worth a British-record £100 million, sources told ESPN's Rob Dawson.
However, Villa have no intention of selling Grealish and are in negotiations with the 25-year-old over a new contract, The Guardian's Ed Aarons and Paul Doyle report. He still has four years remaining on his deal with his boyhood club.
City would still go ahead with a move for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane even if they sign Grealish, according to Dawson. The reigning Premier League champions reportedly submitted an offer worth an initial £100 million to Tottenham earlier this week, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy values Kane at around £150 million and is expected to turn down the proposal.
The north London side is reportedly unlikely to accept any players in return despite Raheem Sterling, Aymeric Laporte, and Gabriel Jesus being mentioned as possible counterweights in the deal.
Bernardo Silva is also considering leaving City amid interest from clubs in Italy and Spain, sources told ESPN.
City are just one of several English clubs in pursuit of Grealish, Aarons and Doyle add. The attacking midfielder helped Villa finish in 11th place in the Premier League with six goals and 10 assists in 26 appearances.
He made his first start at Euro 2020 in England's Group D win over the Czech Republic, setting up Sterling for the game's only goal.
It will likely take a fee well in excess of the British-record £89 million Manchester United spent to sign Paul Pogba in 2016 for Villa to consider selling their star player.
Grealish has played in more than 200 matches since making his senior debut for the Birmingham outfit in 2014.