OPINION
Tottenham have surely been dealt a blow to their summer transfer plans by the latest report on the future of Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side were targeting a fresh move for the 23-year-old after failing to secure a deal for the talented midfielder last summer, but it is now believed that the club will be moving on to pursue moves for other players, after Grealish made them aware of his intentions to remain at Aston Villa, according to the Football Insider.
Pochettino is thought to have held long-term admiration for Grealish, with the Argentine thinking he has the potential to become a quality Premier League player, but Spurs will now need to focus on other alternatives this summer.
The Argentine has a proven track record for being able to develop young English players, and help them to improve and become consistent Premier League performers.
Grealish could have benefitted from being given the chance to work with Pochettino and improve, with the attacking midfielder already showing huge progression under Dean Smith at Aston Villa this season, but the opportunity to help his boyhood club re-establish themselves in the top flight was probably too much of an opportunity to walk away from.
Spurs have at times this season looked a little light in midfielder, with Harry Winks suffering injury troubles and Mousa Dembele being allowed to leave in the January window, and Pochettino will be wanting to improve his options in the middle of the park this summer.
That means Tottenham will need to move on swiftly from the blow of Grealish being made unavailable to be signed, and identify other potential targets who could help to improve the club’s quality in midfield.
Pochettino will have other targets, so despite this blow it should not take them long to recover and make a move for a player of similar caliber to Grealish, but the Argentine will be hopeful the next player he targets will not slip away from Spurs as the 23-year-old appears to have.