Jack Grealish intent on Tottenham move despite £55m takeover easing Aston Villa's financial worries
Jack Grealish is set to inform Aston Villa’s new owners that he wants to join Tottenham Hotspur and pursue his dream of playing in the Champions League.
Spurs are finally ready to make an opening offer for the 22-year-old this week and it is understood Mauricio Pochettino is determined to sign Grealish before the window closes.
Grealish is keen to work with Pochettino, who he believes can help fulfil his ambition of playing for England, and he has reluctantly decided to leave his boyhood team.
Villa’s financial woes have been eased by last week’s £55m takeover by Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, but Telegraph Sport understands Grealish is still intent on moving to Spurs.
Fulham have also shown interest in signing him this summer but the prospect of Champions League football, which Spurs can offer, is a huge incentive.
Villa will now demand a fee of over £30m for the attacker and the new owners remain hopeful of persuading him to stay.
Steve Bruce, the manager, has admitted that Villa’s stance on Grealish has now changed after the new investment into the Championship club.
"I know for a fact from the owners [that] anybody wanting to buy Jack Grealish will not buy him on the cheap,” he said.
"It's only what somebody else is prepared to pay - what he's worth. Until I have the conversation I can't really answer the question.
"[But] If we have to sell them then at least we get the right price for them and can move forward.
“If anybody is going to buy one of our players now they are going to have to pay a premium.”
Bruce will meet with Villa’s new owners for detailed talks on the club’s strategy for the future in the next 48 hours.
His own future remains uncertain ahead of the meeting, with support on the board for Thierry Henry as a surprise replacement.
