Gabriel Agbonlahor is hopeful that Jack Grealish will remain at Aston Villa next season and has warned the midfielder that the ‘grass isn’t always greener’ amid strong interest from Manchester United.
Grealish, 24, was having a magnificent individual campaign as captain of struggling Villa before the coronavirus crisis brought English football to a halt last month, racking up seven goals and six assists in the Premier League.
Despite Ed Woodward recently stating that in may not be ‘business as usual’ for United this summer, the Red Devils are expected to press ahead with their £70million move for Grealish, a player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has identified as one of his top targets.
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However, Agbonlahor believes Grealish will still be wearing claret and blue in the Premier League next term and has urged Villa’s owners – Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens – to turn their phones off in the summer transfer window.
‘I think he will [stay],’ the former Villa forward told the Claret & Blue podcast.
‘I know everyone’s 50/50 but I think he will because the club’s built around him.
‘Villa will stay up and the club will be built around him again.
‘He’s captain and he’s still posting photos of him at the academy when he started when he was six.
‘It’s similar to me, I had chances to leave but, when the club means that much to you, the grass isn’t always greener.
‘If I was the owner of Aston Villa at the moment, I’d just turn my phone off! If a player who’s so crucial to your team – like Jack is to Aston Villa – to get results, I’m not selling him.
‘Selling a player of Jack’s calibre’s going to cost you much more in the long run. You may get a lot for him but you’ve got to stay in the Premier League no matter what, that’s where the money’s at.
‘For me, I’m turning my phone off in the summer if I’m the Villa owner and, when the transfer window is over, I’d turn it back on so he can’t move.
‘That’s why I’d do. Fingers crossed he stays. It’s down to him.’
Agbonlahor says he still chats regularly with Grealish and has reassured Villa supporters that the midfielder has been working hard to keep in shape at home.
‘I’ve been speaking to him a lot. Jack’s not one to post his workouts on Instagram but, believe me, behind closed doors he’s running around Birmingham and Jack’s doing sessions,’ Agbonlahor said.
‘He’s out there working hard and wants to come back flying so he’s ready to come back in. He’ll be back flying.’
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