Grealish To City? | City bid £100M

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worldinmotion66

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We'd have to offload Martial, Lingard and Pogba to be in for Grealish, and we'd also still need a CM.

I wouldn't be against that happening but I just don't see it. He also likes to get on the ball centrally, and we have Fernandes doing that already. It just doesn't make a lot of sense in terms of team balance.
 

James Peril

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For me, raises questions about his mentality. I know in life being happy is the most important thing but I would have thought a player with his ability would be eager to test himself at the very highest level. This might be his only opportunity to.move to a big club in his career. Not many teams are going to offer £100m for him.
He'll soon be 26 and has yet to play a European game.
What a rubbish post. If one thing is for certain, his mentality is top notch. He came into those Euro-games like it was a friendly against Walsall, he took command and didn’t look fazed at all. Of course he wants the tip level, but it’s about timing. What you know nothing about is gentlemen’s agreements and what can be inserted into contracts after a year or two, just like with Ronaldo before going to Real Madrid. Grealish is too expensive in the market and we know City, the only club with the funds, are going after Kane this year. Grealish will stay one more year and most certainly leave next summer, good for him and Villa. Also decent for City if a fixed price is set.

Saying that, Villa could be going places too - unlike Chelsea and City they have the history before becoming super rich. Villa are also to a certain degree a very rich club and their business last summer was great. Adding a few players like Buendia and keeping Grealish would certainly put them alongside Leicester this season. We’ll see - he’ll stay this year and leave next summer, that looks realistic to me.
 

Bebestation

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Cant be selling Pogba and letting Grealish go to City.

F*ck Saul or whomever the other league teams want to chuck out.
 

yamo123x

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With Pogba wanting out, surely the obvious replacement is Jack Grealish. He would jump at the chance to come to Old Trafford, i know people very close to him and for 2 years he has had his heart set on a move to UTD, a club he followed as a youngster.

City being in for him might not materialise if they go for Kane, but if Pogba leaves we need to replace with a creative influential player who can dictate games and for me Jack is the obvious pick. He wont come cheap but adding him Sancho and Varane will give us a genuine chance at league title.
 

sun_tzu

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With Pogba wanting out, surely the obvious replacement is Jack Grealish.
Is it - I mean if Bruno wanted to go I could see an argument for Grealish... or if we didnt get Sancho or if we wanted Rashford to play through the middle we could get Grealish... but in central midfield instead of pogba

Hes plyed 10 games in CM (plus two at U21 level)
and only 7 of those games in the top flight

basically 840 mins in first team football out of 18265 is what hes played as a cm... for clarity thats less than 5% (and he didnt play there at all last season) ... so yeah not an obvious replacement for me

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jac...erein/0/liga/0/wettbewerb//trainer_id/0/pos/7
 

thundercats

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@sun_tzu

He is the obvious replacement, he is a generational talent. The type of player that gets the stands roaring, he pulls 2 to 3 defenders on him and still manages to find a pass or a foul. Think of the space he will create.

He will be the star of the world cup next year, mark my words.
 

DixieDean

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@sun_tzu

He is the obvious replacement, he is a generational talent. The type of player that gets the stands roaring, he pulls 2 to 3 defenders on him and still manages to find a pass or a foul. Think of the space he will create.

He will be the star of the world cup next year, mark my words.
Not if Southgate has anything to do with it.
 

thundercats

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Not if Southgate has anything to do with it.
Next year is another year, Southgate will not be able to look past him anymore. If Grealish had stayed fit for the last quarter of the league he would have been a starter already at the Euros. Especially after he moves to City (God forbid) he will be one of the world's biggest stars.
 

sullydnl

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Grealish is a quality player but I don't get how anyone who has watched him regularly would think he either plays in a position we need to strengthen as a priority or would function as a Pogba replacement.

If we're replacing Pogba, basic logic would suggest it be with another central midfielder.
 

mu4c_20le

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He's the English Ronaldinho but he'll be behind Bruno, VDB, and Rashford if he comes here.
 

thundercats

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Grealish is a quality player but I don't get how anyone who has watched him regularly would think he either plays in a position we need to strengthen as a priority or would function as a Pogba replacement.

If we're replacing Pogba, basic logic would suggest it be with another central midfielder.
Because we all believe he has everything one needs to become a top midfield player. He can carry the ball upfield, he has vista, he can pass and most importantly he barely loses possession. He can create from midfield. He isn't needed necessarily in attack as he doesn't contribute many goals anyway.
 

Theo88

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Because we all believe he has everything one needs to become a top midfield player. He can carry the ball upfield, he has vista, he can pass and most importantly he barely loses possession. He can create from midfield. He isn't needed necessarily in attack as he doesn't contribute many goals anyway.
Isnt he a player similar to Bruno ? Watching him play (granted not a lot) he felt like a lad who’d be ideal for a CAM position. You’re basically describing Scholes but Scholes had some defensive awareness ?
 

thundercats

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Isnt he a player similar to Bruno ? Watching him play (granted not a lot) he felt like a lad who’d be ideal for a CAM position. You’re basically describing Scholes but Scholes had some defensive awareness ?
I think they would be very complementary. They are both intelligent players with lots of vista. I believe with Grealish in the side Bruno will get more freedom and as a result become more and more dangerous in the penalty area. They both have some of the same qualities like vista and passing while Grealish is the better ball carrier/dribbler and Bruno has the better finishing. I can assure you they would flourish together.

It is very attacking I realize that but the majority of games would be bossed but yeah Mctominay would have to run his legs in the ground. I think utd should press very high up field with the defence to make it work. It could work with 2 very experienced CB which we have now and with the power and running ability of both Wan Bissaka and Shaw quick breaks by the opposition should be able to be dealt with.
 

hungrywing

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Someone needs to draw a political cartoon of City owners shaking mountains of loose change out of a warehouse full of golden sofas while telling a pair of wispy-thin nerdy-looking UEFA/PL representatives to have a seat, enjoy the view.
 

Dan-Utd

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People have talked up Grealish for many years now... so rivalries aside, it will be nice to see if he can kick on playing in a team with quality all over the pitch and to see how he copes with the pressure of the competition for his place in the team.
 

Adisa

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@sun_tzu

He is the obvious replacement, he is a generational talent. The type of player that gets the stands roaring, he pulls 2 to 3 defenders on him and still manages to find a pass or a foul. Think of the space he will create.

He will be the star of the world cup next year, mark my words.
You throw the word around loosely.
 

Adisa

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People have talked up Grealish for many years now... so rivalries aside, it will be nice to see if he can kick on playing in a team with quality all over the pitch and to see how he copes with the pressure of the competition for his place in the team.
This. Eager to see him play at the top level cause they way some go on about him here.
 

thundercats

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I’m merely expressing my opinion…
I have seen enough of Villa last season to get to this conclusion, if I’m wrong then so be it, at least I’m brave enough to express it instead of others here having a cheap laugh at my expense.
 

Red Company

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I think they would be very complementary. They are both intelligent players with lots of vista. I believe with Grealish in the side Bruno will get more freedom and as a result become more and more dangerous in the penalty area. They both have some of the same qualities like vista and passing while Grealish is the better ball carrier/dribbler and Bruno has the better finishing. I can assure you they would flourish together.

It is very attacking I realize that but the majority of games would be bossed but yeah Mctominay would have to run his legs in the ground. I think utd should press very high up field with the defence to make it work. It could work with 2 very experienced CB which we have now and with the power and running ability of both Wan Bissaka and Shaw quick breaks by the opposition should be able to be dealt with.
Good post. I agree.

I think if McT or a new DM can be fine tuned a little bit then a midfield of Grealish & Bruno in front of DM will make us really strong in the midfield just like KdB Silva Fernandinho ran the midfield at city. Our defense now that it’s complete would provide a good shield at the back. :drool:

Besides, Grealish won’t lose the ball as often as Pogba does and that in itself a big deal.
Whereas currently it’s easier to target players like Pogba & Fred who can definitely misplace passes or lose possession under pressure.

Also - teams would have a tough time marking our front 5 at the same time. Hence if we can start keeping more possession in games, the threat of counters would be minimized even further. Teams would have to sit back and just stay busy blocking our channels. It’s much easier to hold possession higher up front if you have 5 players rather than 4 because you got 2 DMs.

Having said all that, I really hope we try to go for Grealish this summer. If we don’t, we might have much more competition next summer and we also have to save funds for a potential Haaland acquisition.
City is busy chasing Kane and we should take advantage of that.
Ideally we sell Pogba and offer Lingard in any deal for Grealish which is a great replacement for them position wise.
He’ll slot right in and it’ll also make them a stronger competitor against teams they’re directly going to be competing with this season such as West Ham who lose the opportunity of signing Lingard.
 

bond19821982

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Grealish is a quality player but I don't get how anyone who has watched him regularly would think he either plays in a position we need to strengthen as a priority or would function as a Pogba replacement.

If we're replacing Pogba, basic logic would suggest it be with another central midfielder.
Exactly, and that's how it's going to be (rightly so). People get excited and try to bring in FM and FIFA lineups but it never works that way.
 

edcunited1878

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Grealish would help replace Pogba's creativity and quality, however they aren't like for like positionally.

Too many people isolate the player and sometimes how they function, but not how it relates to the broader team.

Example is City: Fernandinho/Rodri, with Silva and KDB or Rodri, Gundogan, and KDB.

The farthest back CM is Fernandinho or Rodri. However, Silva, Gundogan, and KDB are all comfortable defending, pressing, closing down, etc. They have tireless work ethic, just all over the pitch.

City also plays narrow off the ball at the back, when in possession. The inside fullbacks playing as defensive midfielders with their two CBs tucked in behind for a high block. The two CBs have the space behind them and to the channels, the fullbacks have defend the wide areas. If a full back goes up, then a central midfielder like Rodri would rotate towards the vacated space to show for the ball and to account for the vacated space by the fullback.

United don't play this technical and spatial football like City. It would be a massive shift in tactics and player demands/learnings if United were to operate with a potential central midfield trio of a single holding midfielder and two 8s ahead of them in potentially Bruno and Grealish (or Pogba). Can see it working if United played a diamond 442, as they've done a few times.

If United were ruthless and seriously bold, they'd put Grealish in his preferred position of left midfield/left forward, currently occupied by Rashford, and either sell Rashford or try to convert him to full time center forward. Unless Ole or another manager can have a free flowing attacking front line that consists of Grealish, Sancho, and Rashford/Greenwood.
 

The United

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Grealish would help replace Pogba's creativity and quality, however they aren't like for like positionally.

Too many people isolate the player and sometimes how they function, but not how it relates to the broader team.

Example is City: Fernandinho/Rodri, with Silva and KDB or Rodri, Gundogan, and KDB.

The farthest back CM is Fernandinho or Rodri. However, Silva, Gundogan, and KDB are all comfortable defending, pressing, closing down, etc. They have tireless work ethic, just all over the pitch.

City also plays narrow off the ball at the back, when in possession. The inside fullbacks playing as defensive midfielders with their two CBs tucked in behind for a high block. The two CBs have the space behind them and to the channels, the fullbacks have defend the wide areas. If a full back goes up, then a central midfielder like Rodri would rotate towards the vacated space to show for the ball and to account for the vacated space by the fullback.

United don't play this technical and spatial football like City. It would be a massive shift in tactics and player demands/learnings if United were to operate with a potential central midfield trio of a single holding midfielder and two 8s ahead of them in potentially Bruno and Grealish (or Pogba). Can see it working if United played a diamond 442, as they've done a few times.

If United were ruthless and seriously bold, they'd put Grealish in his preferred position of left midfield/left forward, currently occupied by Rashford, and either sell Rashford or try to convert him to full time center forward. Unless Ole or another manager can have a free flowing attacking front line that consists of Grealish, Sancho, and Rashford/Greenwood.
Pogba and Grealish are not like for like positionally. However, the attitude on the pitch is pretty similar to me. He is a talented player.

But, I really doubt he can work in a team which demands everyone work hard like in Pep's system. He is one of those who you need to build the team around. I am not sure he is that good for a top team unless he changes.

And, his ball hogging is again very similar to Pogba (Pogba is better due to his long range passing). Could hold the ball and dribble like 3 - 4 then finds not many options to pass. He is a good player to watch as a natural. But, that is about it.

I hope I am right about him IF he moves to City.
 

Judas

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Sad to see him go there, just a bit boring really. He won't even play every week.

I'm sure he'd go to us over them if we were interested, but that ship has sailed at this point.
 

passing-wind

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Grealish is not a central midfielder period. Prime Ozil (Madrid) could pass, dribble and create but that doesn't mean the player can occupy the central midfield. If Grealish goes to City it will be interesting to see his development.

He will constantly be up against packed defences, he will slow down City's wide areas if Sterling is benched more often. I actually don't think he strengthens City significantly for the price that will be required to acquire him. They have too many attacking players of the same profile.
 

gorky_utd

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I am sure pep cried to his masters that utd, arsenal all are spending. Without Grealish, how can the football Einstein compete?
 

11101

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@sun_tzu

He is the obvious replacement, he is a generational talent. The type of player that gets the stands roaring, he pulls 2 to 3 defenders on him and still manages to find a pass or a foul. Think of the space he will create.

He will be the star of the world cup next year, mark my words.
I don't know why people keep saying this. He's a bloody good player, but a generational talent? The English Ronaldinho? No chance.

He would strengthen us and i think he would fit us better than he will City, but he would not be a guaranteed starter here, and he definitely wont be at City. I expect he will be like a Mahrez used fairly frequently but always with a slight drop in quality. I think his mercurial attitude will also rub Pep up the wrong way.
 

Berbaclass

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I don't know why people keep saying this. He's a bloody good player, but a generational talent? The English Ronaldinho? No chance.

He would strengthen us and i think he would fit us better than he will City, but he would not be a guaranteed starter here, and he definitely wont be at City. I expect he will be like a Mahrez used fairly frequently but always with a slight drop in quality. I think his mercurial attitude will also rub Pep up the wrong way.
He'll probably get jealous of his hair.
 

sullydnl

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Because we all believe he has everything one needs to become a top midfield player. He can carry the ball upfield, he has vista, he can pass and most importantly he barely loses possession. He can create from midfield. He isn't needed necessarily in attack as he doesn't contribute many goals anyway.
So we'd spend massive money to sign a player only to try and convert him to an entirely different role within our team?

Exactly the sort of square-peg-into-round-hole transfer logic I hope we know to avoid, trying to cram a big name player into the team even when he clearly doesn't fit just because we want the shiniest toy.

Hell, even Pogba is a problem to fit into our central midfield and he's an actual midfielder. The upside to replacing him is that we might bring more balance to the side, not make it even less balanced by sticking Grealish in there and hoping he magically has the positional sense and all-round game of an entirely different type of player.
 

Highfather_24

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He is not top 5 in the world or a generational talent. Nor is he your average flavour of the week schmuck. Both sides take things to the extreme and argue "overrated/underrated". I think the issue is somepeople overrate him a bit, and people see that and immediately knee jerk to the opposite extreme which is "he is an midtable player". It would be a huge shame if City got him, he is a great player. We have more pressing needs though. He is top 10 player in the PL, and arguably top 5 in attackers/midfielders. Stats bear that out, he is in top 3 in whoscored ratings in the whole PL only behind KdB and Kane. In our squad only Bruno and Shaw are arguably better than him.

I dont think there's anybody who sees him play regularly will deny that. I hard to deny his quality and effectiveness. He is the 2nd most creative player in the PL, the most fouled player, is fantastic at beating the press, a great dribbler, chips in with regular goals and assists, consistent, and a leader on the pitch. And his creativeness doesnt come at the cost of losing the ball. Many try to create a dichotomy with Bruno that in order to be creative you have to take a lot of risks and lose the ball. Grealish gives you the best of both worlds and proves that is not true. All this despite playing for a much weaker team.

KdB : 3.2 Key passes pg, 81% accuracy passing
Grealish : 3.1 Key passes, 83% accuracy passing
Bruno : 2.6 Key passes, 78% accuracy passing
 

redrobed

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I like Grealish but Varane, Sancho and Heaton combined for 40m less than what City are looking to pay for Grealish is incredible to me.
 

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Grealish is a quality player but I don't get how anyone who has watched him regularly would think he either plays in a position we need to strengthen as a priority or would function as a Pogba replacement.

If we're replacing Pogba, basic logic would suggest it be with another central midfielder.
Has Pogba played in central midfield for us recently, second half of last season he seem to be further forward
 

foolsgold

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Are they really going to pay 100m for him ? Seems absolutely insane.

Surely it'd be the end of their chase for Kane, can't see how they can afford both unless they're selling someone major like Sterling.

If they do buy him, we should try and offload a player or two to Villa.
 

Rado_N

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I hope he enjoyed his experience at the Euros because that’ll be a familiar experience in that City squad.
 
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