Shaun Derry has suggested that Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish needs to be playing in the Premier League next season regardless of the outcome of the Championship play-off final.
Grealish has been a standout performer at Villa Park this season, especially since returning from three months out with a shin injury in Villa’s 4-0 win against Derby County at the start of March, which kickstarted Dean Smith’s sides club record ten game winning run that helped the club reach the play-offs.
Derry has now revealed that he believes Grealish should be playing in the Premier League next season, and that the midfielder has the ability to play for a top four club and be part of the England national team squad.
“For me Jack Grealish, the quicker he’s in the English set-up the better, he’s ready for the Premier League. He has to be in the Premier League next year,” Derry told TalkSPORT 2 on Tuesday [11:44am].
“I’m sure he wants to lead his Villa side there, but he needs to be in the Premier League next year and if it is not with Villa, then I think he could play for a top four club.”
OPINION
Derry is right to point out that Grealish has the ability to play in the Premier League, which the midfielder has demonstrated this season, especially during Villa’s up turn in form in the second half of the season which saw them secure a fifth place finish in the Championship. Grealish’s impact on the Aston Villa side this season has been crucial, with the 23-year-old making 2.3 key passes and completing 1.7 successful dribbles per 90 minutes in the Championship this term [whoscored.com]. That highlights the midfielder’s quality at Championship level, which has seen him help Villa recover from a poor start to the campaign which saw Steve Bruce replaced with Smith, to reach the Championship play-off final for the second successive season. Grealish could well prove instrumental to determining whether Villa beat Derby in the final and reach the Premier League, but as Derry points out whether it be with Villa or another club the midfielder should probably be in the top flight next season. That will be vital for the 23-year-old if he is to force his way into Gareth Southgate’s England squad next term.