Manchester City have been urged to ditch the Lionel Messi plan and sign Jack Grealish instead.
Aston Villa legend Andy Gray believes the Etihad should drop their pursuit of Lionel Messi and try to beat cross-city rivals Manchester United to the signature of England international Jack Grealish.
After his impressive start to this season’s campaign with Villa, Grealish finally made it into Gareth Southgate’s squad this season.
United, eager as always to try and sign anyone who’s making the right moves on the pitch, were chasing the playmaker this summer but decided last minute with their usual fickle-mindedness to focus most of their efforts on Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho, who they failed to sign, unsurprisingly, despite the usual drama and the huffing ‘n puffing.
Unaccustomed as always to being snubbed, the Red Devils are expected to return for Grealish again possibly as an alternative for Bruno Fernandes.
Meanwhile, City have been hotly touted step up their efforts to snap up Barcelona icon Messi on a free transfer at the end of the season.
“(There’s) absolutely no danger Jack Grealish could play at the highest level, I don’t think there’s a doubt about that in my opinion,” he told beIN Sports.
“I think the higher he goes the better he becomes because he’s playing with better players,” Gray said.
“People says he does too much on the ball at Villa, but he does that because he’s Villa’s most important player and he’s the one that makes things happen nine times out of ten, if he was at Man City, he wouldn’t be, so he’s surrounded by better players and I think he would have more of an impact.
“He’s got more of a future (than Messi).
“Right now if you give me Jack Grealish or Messi, I’m taking Grealish.”
Guardiola has meanwhile recently recommitted his future to City by penning a contract extension and former Blues ace Trevor Sinclair reckons that is a major hint that Messi will be joining in the summer.
“It’s outstanding news,” Sinclair said of Guardiola’s new contract on the talkSPORT Breakfast. “I think every City fan is going to be buzzing when they hear this news.
“Not only has he won the trophies, but you think about 100 points, the treble, winning back-to-back Premier League titles…
“He’s done unbelievably well at Manchester City.
“And just the fact he can recruit any player in the world excites Man City fans. The relationship between him and Khaldoon [Al Mubarak], the owner, has been superb and there is a lot of trust there.
“And I think he is happy for the journey to continue.
“For me, you look at what has gone one with him signing a new two-year contract, there are rumours Kevin De Bruyne is going to sign a new contract… I think Messi is inevitable.”