In his latest Q and A session with Spurs fans, Football.London journalist Alasdair Gold discussed the failed move for Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish.
The journalist was asked by a fan whether they could potentially make another move for the Villa ace, with Spurs having reportedly been close to signing the midfielder in 2018. Gold replied, saying:
“Spurs made an utter mess of their attempts to bring in Grealish almost two summers ago”
“The young midfielder could have been got for a set price, believed to be around £24m that transfer window, but Tottenham waited it out and then when Villa had new money pumped into the club they no longer needed to sell him.”
“Grealish went on to shine for Villa that season to get them promoted and then proved in the Premier League in the last campaign that he would have been a star within Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side.” per Football.London (16:29)
He then goes on to discuss the chances of Spurs making a move for the 24-year-old ahead of next season, saying:
“However, that will only have increased his value and even if Aston Villa do get relegated I can’t see Tottenham spending big money on anyone this summer in the current climate – particularly in that position – unless they offload someone for big money.”
“They could also argue that with Giovani Lo Celso, Grealish would not be a regular starter, but, finances aside, not having a competitor to challenge Christian Eriksen and allow the Dane to rest at times was always a big issue for Pochettino’s side.” per Football.London (16:29)
Was it a big mistake by Spurs to not secure the signing of Grealish in 2018?
Yes
No
TIF Tactics:
Grealish has been in superb form for Dean Smith’s Villa side so far this season, despite their lowly position in the Premier League; having averaged an impressive 7.33 rating for his performances in the top-flight. With the departure of Christian Eriksen in January, the Englishman would’ve perhaps proved to be the ready-made replacement for the Lilywhites had they managed to complete his transfer back in 2018.
As Gold suggests, Spurs could have brought in the midfielder for £24 million and with the Villa ace now valued at £27.45 million and having impressed in the Premier League this season, it looks as if they made a mistake in failing to secure his signature back in 2018. Even if the Villans are relegated this season, it would perhaps be a surprise to see Spurs make a move for Grealish now they have Giovani Lo Celso on their books, especially in the current economic climate.