Jack Grealish has opened up on his “disappointment” over his failed transfer to Tottenham Hotspur, and says he would have made the England squad if he had moved to north London.
The 23-year-old Aston Villa midfielder was the subject of a £25m bid from Spurs this summer, but Villa’s new majority owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens blocked the move.
Grealish was expected to be sold because of the Midlands club’s financial issues under former owner Dr Tony Xia, with HMRC issuing Villa with a winding-up order over an unpaid tax bill.
However, Sawiris and Edens’ takeover removed the threat of administration, and Grealish signed a new five-year deal at Villa Park this week.
Speaking to The Telegraph about his failed Spurs switch, he said: “Of course there’s going to be disappointment there. They’ve beaten Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford, they’re playing Barcelona in the Champions League next week.
“I felt that if I’d gone there I could have maybe been in the England squad by the end of the year.
“At the start of the season my head was swivelled, it was all over the place. Even after the transfer window closed, until the end of August, I wasn’t right.”
While Grealish admits he thought he was heading for the exit door at Villa, he insists he is happy to remain at the Championship side.
“I thought I was leaving. Before the new owners, Villa needed the money so I kind of accepted that me going would save the club.
“It’s not like I was devastated it didn’t happen, though, because I’ve still got to realise how lucky I am to be playing for my boyhood club. I’ve played over 100 games for Villa and I’ve only just turned 23.”
(Sky Sports)
