Jack Grealish
Manchester United are keen on Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish and there were reports this week about a potential £45m buy-out clause written into his contract. The 24-year-old stayed put after Spurs’ bid failed in 2018 before helping Villa to achieve promotion – but now United are keen.
Dean Smith said “We have not got any clauses in any contracts that allow people to buy players for a certain amount of money.”
With seven goals and six assists in the top-flight, he is spearheading Villa’s charge to stay up and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been monitoring him closely.
Darren Moore has heaped praise on Aston Villa youngster Jacob Ramsey, claiming his potential in the game is ‘huge’. The 18-year-old midfielder joined Doncaster Rovers in the January window to continue the next stage of his development in the game.
Ramsey has shone for Villa’s development sides, making his debut for Dean Smith’s senior team last season. But last month, he left the comfort blanket of Bodymoor Heath, in order to play regular, senior football.
Dean Smith admits he feels more pressure as Aston Villa boss due to his family’s history with the club rather than the expectation to stay in the Premier League.
Dean Smith said ” Being a head coach or manager of Aston Villa, there is always going to be pressure there. I know (former Villa managers) John Gregory and Brian Little, and spoken to them about the pressures that are there, because there is an expectation about this grand historical football club.Being a supporter and having a family base that are all supporters of the club, probably the responsibility of being that leader is a little bit more. But it has been no different from being in the Championship to the Premier League. I would say the pressure to stay in the league is the same as it was to get promoted. I’ve always looked at games that I can’t affect the result. All I can affect are the player’s performances, and if the players perform then they’ve got a chance of getting a result. I try and concentrate on what I can control, and once a game has finished I can’t change it. I have to move on and look forward. I’ve been very disciplined in doing that.”
Smith joined Villa in 2018 after impressing in his development of the Brentford team – but he admits he has had to adapt his philosophy in his bid to keep the West Midlands club in the Premier League.
