Grealish To City? | City bid £100M

Status
Not open for further replies.

bosnian_red

Worst scout to ever exist
Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
57,577
Location
Canada
Hes an excellent player, but one I'm not sure they need all that much anyway and won't be a difference maker. Sancho will be better in the prem and will continue on having a better career just as he's had a far better career to date, despite being 5 years younger.
 

BarstoolProphet

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
6,468
Sad to see my favourite non-United player end up at City. He will become the best player in the EPL at City.
 

Becks00

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 25, 2020
Messages
400
Grealish is an absolutely superb player that I would welcome at man utd, I still hold the tiniest bit of hope that we would move on Poga and Lingard, then try sign him and a DM(would prefer Bissouma but think Zakaria would be cheaper). I think a midfield of Zakaria/Bissouma, Grealish and Bruno could work especially if we focus on controlling games more this season.

In fact the only way we shouldn't try for him is if there is a 100% guarantee Pogba is going to sign a new contract, if not is a no brainier to sell Pogba to Psg and sign Grealish, not only because we strengthen ourselves this way but also stop City from improving further.
 

Rightnr

Wants players fined for winning away.
Joined
Jan 25, 2015
Messages
13,881
I don't want to see him at City but will be interesting how he develops under Pep. Hopefully he'll be a standout player for them and everyone else flops.
 

8thWonder

Full Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
1,346
Grealish is an absolutely superb player that I would welcome at man utd, I still hold the tiniest bit of hope that we would move on Poga and Lingard, then try sign him and a DM(would prefer Bissouma but think Zakaria would be cheaper). I think a midfield of Zakaria/Bissouma, Grealish and Bruno could work especially if we focus on controlling games more this season.

In fact the only way we shouldn't try for him is if there is a 100% guarantee Pogba is going to sign a new contract, if not is a no brainier to sell Pogba to Psg and sign Grealish, not only because we strengthen ourselves this way but also stop City from improving further.
Or we just concentrate on ourselves and forget what City are doing because we can't control that?

Grealish's best positions appear to be attacking midfielder and/or left winger... We should not be spending 100 million on a player who wants to play where Bruno and Rashford want... It makes no sense to sign Grealish in terms of team building imo.

If we were bordering on the finished article and winning countless trophies then maybe... but we're not. So we won't.

In terms of Grealish to City, I think he would be a Bernardo Silva replacement wouldn't he? There were a lot of rumours that he would be leaving, is this still the case?

He would have to move the ball quicker than he does but I can't see that being a problem and undoubtedly would be another good to great signing for them IF it happens.
 

Becks00

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 25, 2020
Messages
400
Or we just concentrate on ourselves and forget what City are doing because we can't control that?

Grealish's best positions appear to be attacking midfielder and/or left winger... We should not be spending 100 million on a player who wants to play where Bruno and Rashford want... It makes no sense to sign Grealish in terms of team building imo.

If we were bordering on the finished article and winning countless trophies then maybe... but we're not. So we won't.

In terms of Grealish to City, I think he would be a Bernardo Silva replacement wouldn't he? There were a lot of rumours that he would be leaving, is this still the case?

He would have to move the ball quicker than he does but I can't see that being a problem and undoubtedly would be another good to great signing for them IF it happens.
Well judging from reports, Ole intends to change the formation to a more attacking 433, where If Pogba stays, himself and Bruno would be attacking midfielders with a DM behind them. Grealish definitely can fill the Pogba role in this formation where he(Pogba) to leave without impeding Bruno or Rashford's position.

As for the 100m we could probably raise 70-80% of that from selling Pogba and Lingard, then see what the rest of the other available players get us. Also I see no need to keep all of Fred, McTominay and Matic if we intend to sign a DM.
 

Kinsella

Copy & Paste Merchant
Joined
Jan 20, 2012
Messages
2,761
He'll be 26 at the start of the season and you don't get generational talents still playing for Aston Villa at that age.

Very good player though.
 

yamo123x

Full Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2003
Messages
2,987
Location
england
Or we just concentrate on ourselves and forget what City are doing because we can't control that?

Grealish's best positions appear to be attacking midfielder and/or left winger... We should not be spending 100 million on a player who wants to play where Bruno and Rashford want... It makes no sense to sign Grealish in terms of team building imo.

If we were bordering on the finished article and winning countless trophies then maybe... but we're not. So we won't.

In terms of Grealish to City, I think he would be a Bernardo Silva replacement wouldn't he? There were a lot of rumours that he would be leaving, is this still the case?

He would have to move the ball quicker than he does but I can't see that being a problem and undoubtedly would be another good to great signing for them IF it happens.

Both of whom were shocking for the final 3rd of the season. Grealish is different to what we have, he can dictate games, for me he is ready made to replace Pogba.
 

B20

HEY EVERYONE I IGNORE SOMEONE LOOK AT ME
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
Messages
27,547
Location
Disney Land
Supports
Liverpool
He'll be 26 at the start of the season and you don't get generational talents still playing for Aston Villa at that age.

Very good player though.
How old was Drogba when he signed for Chelsea? Or van Dijk for Liverpool? Even Zidane was still playing for Bordeaux at 24.
 

SuperiorXI

Full Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2012
Messages
14,449
Location
Manchester, England
Better off using the money on Kane. Is he really that much better than Foden/Mahrez/Sterling etc
They don't really need him either, as they shown last season. Would be a better use of funds however I agree - although in City's case the funds never seem to dry up, probably get both.
 

Adisa

likes to take afvanadva wothowi doubt
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
50,309
Location
Birmingham
How old was Drogba when he signed for Chelsea? Or van Dijk for Liverpool? Even Zidane was still playing for Bordeaux at 24.
Who called Drogba and Van Dijk generational talents? He's a good player can be a great one but unless generational talent has lost its meaning, he isn't one. He's about to be 26 and hasn't even played a minute of European football. He has spent his career playing for a team battling either relegation or midtable.
He has a lot to prove. The way some talk about him, one would think he's one of the best players this country has ever produced.
 

Bosws87

Full Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Messages
3,709
Total luxury signing couldn't care less, be fantastic if they don't bother filling the striker position for a guy they don't even need.
 

bosnian_red

Worst scout to ever exist
Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
57,577
Location
Canada
Sad to see my favourite non-United player end up at City. He will become the best player in the EPL at City.
No he won't. He's not that young that he's going to go up all these levels. Sancho has shown to be a better player in his career so far, done far more despite being 5 years younger. De Bruyne is and will remain to be the key player at City too.

Grealish is a very good player, but he's really not what they need. They need someone to be direct and give that end product and running in behind. Grealish on the left, Foden on the right with KDB/Gundogan in midfield... they really need a striker who can handle being the goalscoring focal point and the entire threat in behind with that around him.
 

bosnian_red

Worst scout to ever exist
Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
57,577
Location
Canada
They don't really need him either, as they shown last season. Would be a better use of funds however I agree - although in City's case the funds never seem to dry up, probably get both.
Considering they just lost Aguero, De Bruyne another year older, many key players aging... they need an attacker far more than a Grealish type. He doesn't give them anything that Bernardo at his best doesn't give them, just on the left.
 

bosnian_red

Worst scout to ever exist
Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
57,577
Location
Canada
He's the most talented player England produced since Rooney.
He's not more talented than Sancho even. They're 5 years apart and Sancho has still done far more in his career and outperformed him in every single season they've played. Relax. Grealish is an excellent player but he's far from being the most talented player England's produced.
 

Dante

Average bang
Joined
Oct 22, 2010
Messages
25,280
Location
My wit's end
Some newbie with 92 posts called Grealish a 'generational talent' and this entire thread has gone insane.
 

worldinmotion66

Full Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
2,028
If he was a 'generational talent' & of the same ilk as Rooney & Ronaldinho, then surely everyone would be after him? Oh wait, they aren't, because the English press have hyped up Grealish as the messiah and teams know that.

He's 25, turning 26 in September. Rooney was doing bits at 16 in the premier league, there is NO comparison.

Don't get me wrong, he's a decent player, but he isn't world-class.
When did age dictate a player's ability? Generational talent is a bit over the top and I don't expect him to accomplish what Rooney or Ronadinho did, but he's clearly one of the best players in the league given his impact last season. He's matured into a phenomenal player and he improves a team that dominated the league, going 28 games unbeaten.

No one else is after him because they can't afford him or need to invest elsewhere. He'd walk into every team in the league.
 

Lynty

Full Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2014
Messages
3,094
Outstanding footballer. I think he'd walk into any first 11 in the world. People using his age and the fact he plays for Villa, as a stick to beat him with have obviously never really watched him.
 

RedDevilCanuck

Quite dreamy - blue eyes, blond hair, tanned skin
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
8,396
Location
The GTA
He was the best player in the league last season until he got injured.

If you watched villa regularly you'd agree.

Villa went from europa places and even in the mix for top 4. He got injured and they suddenly dropped to relegation form.

City need Kane. Spurs need the money and need a huge rebuild.

Grealish should come in if we sell Pogba and like Sancho will play left, right and No.10 rotating.

Add Lindgard, Andreas and Amad on loan and 65 million should do it.

Thanks to Southgate for taking at least 20 million off Grealish's price.
 

Varun

Moderator
Staff
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
Messages
46,772
Location
Mumbai
Generational talent, best English talent since Rooney hyperbole aside, I legit wonder if people have seen him play for Villa regularly over the last 2 seasons or just open up some stats side + use the oh he plays for villa bit to form an easy opinion.
 

balaks

Full Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
15,335
Location
Northern Ireland
Supports
Tottenham Hotspur
Give me your list, England had a barren period before the current generation. The claim is not as bonkers as you might believe.
Harry Kane is clearly the most talented English player since Rooney. He is genuinely world class in his position and arguably in the top 3 in the world. You could argue Sterling also.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,514
Generational talent, best English talent since Rooney hyperbole aside, I legit wonder if people have seen him play for Villa regularly over the last 2 seasons or just open up some stats side + use the oh he plays for villa bit to form an easy opinion.
Yeah, he was brilliant especially last season than the one before that.

I hope he won't suit the way Pep wants his team to play, with him slowing down the tempo of their game.
 

Highfather_24

Full Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Messages
2,725
He'd give them a LOT more than Bernardo.
On current ability he's better than Sterling, Bernardo, Foden and Mahrez. Someone called him a "generational talent" so now everybody's kneejerking that with the other extreme of "he's just a decent player". Nope. He is among the best PL players and will walk into any team. He is absolute class.
 

Pickle85

Full Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
6,371
On current ability he's better than Sterling, Bernardo, Foden and Mahrez. Someone called him a "generational talent" so now everybody's kneejerking that with the other extreme of "he's just a decent player". Nope. He is among the best PL players and will walk into any team. He is absolute class.
I think the thing people are rightly sceptical about is whether he could do the same thing in a better team with less room to operate. Also, he's only had a couple of great seasons so it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that he doesn't hit those heights consistently, season on season. Finally, I reckon his numbers should be better than they are (granted they may pick up significantly with better players around him). He's great to watch and very easy on the eye but I don't think he's among the very best PL players yet.
 

JakeTheRed

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
202
Location
Manchester
When did age dictate a player's ability? Generational talent is a bit over the top and I don't expect him to accomplish what Rooney or Ronadinho did, but he's clearly one of the best players in the league given his impact last season. He's matured into a phenomenal player and he improves a team that dominated the league, going 28 games unbeaten.

No one else is after him because they can't afford him or need to invest elsewhere. He'd walk into every team in the league.
I referenced Rooney because a lot of people are comparing Grealish to him. Rooney had raw talent that was on display from a young age. Of course this isn't the case with everyone i.e. Grealish, who has matured into a very decent player. Calling him phenomenal is laughable. The only phenomenal players in the PL are KDB & possibly Kane. Or maybe we just have different views of the word.

He's had one very good season (also partly injured) where he obviously had a huge impact on an average PL team. How about the season before, where he played in 36 PL games, yet they finished 17th? He's also failed to ever score more than 8 goals in the league (this includes the championship), nor register more than 10 assists. I don't care how many times he's been fouled etc. being fouled doesn't win you football matches.
 

Highfather_24

Full Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Messages
2,725
I think the thing people are rightly sceptical about is whether he could do the same thing in a better team with less room to operate. Also, he's only had a couple of great seasons so it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that he doesn't hit those heights consistently, season on season. Finally, I reckon his numbers should be better than they are (granted they may pick up significantly with better players around him). He's great to watch and very easy on the eye but I don't think he's among the very best PL players yet.
Less room to operate meaning less spaces? That's literally Grealish's strength. He has amazing close control and creativity. What he might struggle at City is with their possession based style of play, but I think he will adapt pretty fast.

As for your assertion that he's not among the very best in PL, that's a hard no for me. He is the most creative player in PL from open play, he is the most fouled player by a distance, and he literally carries Villa. Among attacking midfielders only Bruno and KdB are his peers. Stats back that up too, in the whoscored rating he's top 3 in the whole PL behind Kane and KdB(although whoscored is biased towards attackers).

And he has couple of great seasons because before that he was not in the PL. He's a late bloomer for sure, but he is just entering his prime, and his game doesnt rely on pace. If he can stay focussed(he does have off field issues tbh), he should continue this for years. He's year younger than Bruno.
 

Pickle85

Full Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
6,371
Less room to operate meaning less spaces? That's literally Grealish's strength. He has amazing close control and creativity. What he might struggle at City is with their possession based style of play, but I think he will adapt pretty fast.

As for your assertion that he's not among the very best in PL, that's a hard no for me. He is the most creative player in PL from open play, he is the most fouled player by a distance, and he literally carries Villa. Among attacking midfielders only Bruno and KdB are his peers. Stats back that up too, in the whoscored rating he's top 3 in the whole PL behind Kane and KdB(although whoscored is biased towards attackers).

And he has couple of great seasons because before that he was not in the PL. He's a late bloomer for sure, but he is just entering his prime, and his game doesnt rely on pace. If he can stay focussed(he does have off field issues tbh), he should continue this for years. He's year younger than Bruno.
Agreed but sides set up very differently against villa than they do against city. Sides come out at villa significantly more than against city so he has more space to start running at people. He wouldn't have that at city. And yep, he's not been in the prem for long but again...small sample size so I'm reserving judgment a little longer. He wasn't great at the Euros when he came on - granted, it's not an ideal situation for him - and I wonder whether he's more comfy as a big fish in a smal pond than the other way around. I'd be delighted if we signed him but, again, I think he's a little overrated atm. Also, needs to score more.
 

SuperiorXI

Full Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2012
Messages
14,449
Location
Manchester, England
Yeah, he was brilliant especially last season than the one before that.

I hope he won't suit the way Pep wants his team to play, with him slowing down the tempo of their game.
I fear he's perfect for Pep's style. Draws other players away from their space as you have to close him down or he will punish you with a splitting pass.
 

HerbT

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Feb 13, 2021
Messages
222
Supports
man city fc
He was the best player in the league last season until he got injured.

If you watched villa regularly you'd agree.

Villa went from europa places and even in the mix for top 4. He got injured and they suddenly dropped to relegation form.

City need Kane. Spurs need the money and need a huge rebuild.

Grealish should come in if we sell Pogba and like Sancho will play left, right and No.10 rotating.

Add Lindgard, Andreas and Amad on loan and 65 million should do it.

Thanks to Southgate for taking at least 20 million off Grealish's price.
I agree with all you’ve said except the little (intentional?) teaser at the end, as Southgate clearly has no effect whatsoever on Grealish’s price or indeed on the price of any player.
Buying clubs, including your own, value players of the basis of their own scouting reports and assessments, none of them would even dream of looking to Southgate’s opinion when determining the upper limit of their intended bids.

I should also add that there’s no certainty that he’s going to City.
Plenty of ‘almost done & dusted’ transfers suddenly change direction at the last moment - think Sanchez or Van Persie to United as some of many examples where a club comes in with a huge bid and gets a player who was bound elsewhere according to all reports.
You have a history of stepping in with the big bucks and if you do it in this instance then you’ve got a player who’s genuinely better than Pogba will ever be and who’ll work hard in every game of the season rather than for 30 minutes in every 5th game.
Get Grealish, Varane and Camavinga, to add to Sancho, and send Pogba and beanz on their way, and you’ve got a squad that has the beating of the current best.
 

Highfather_24

Full Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Messages
2,725
I dont think his game is based on having space to run into(like for eg Rashford's is), so I dont think that's an issue. And I think he had a good Euros for the little gametime he got. Literally changed the game after coming on against Germany, and also played well when he started against Czech. Played less than 180mins in total, and still bagged couple of assists.
 

Pickle85

Full Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2021
Messages
6,371
I dont think his game is based on having space to run into(like for eg Rashford's is), so I dont think that's an issue. And I think he had a good Euros for the little gametime he got. Literally changed the game after coming on against Germany, and also played well when he started against Czech. Played less than 180mins in total, and still bagged couple of assists.
Fair play. I thought he tried too hard when he came on...ran down too many blind alleys and looked a little bereft of ideas when players weren't sticking legs out for him to fall over. I definitely agree he's not a kick and rush speed merchant that needs a bunch of room to do their thing but I also don't think he's experienced playing against teams when they're setting up as obdurately as most will against city. Will be interesting to see how he reacts/copes.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.