What if Man Utd had signed Grealish in 2020?
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 30 Nov 2021 18:02 GMT
- 4 min read
Jack Grealish's move away from his boyhood club Aston Villa, and to Manchester City for £100 million was the biggest talking point of the summer in the English top flight until Cristiano Ronaldo re-signed for Manchester United, and for good reason.
The England international was Villa's captain, their best player, and beloved by the fans. However, he decided to leave the club, and once Man City met his release clause, he was allowed to depart.
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The move was met with criticism and frustration from Villa fans, but the chance to play Champions League football under Pep Guardiola was huge for Grealish.
However, his transfer to the Etihad may never have come to fruition if Man Utd had made a concrete offer in 2020.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Grealish revealed that he was close to joining the Old Trafford side while he was still plying his trade at Villa Park.
"I was really close to going, but nothing happened in the end,” said Grealish.
“We played United in a pre-season game on Saturday and I wasn’t supposed to play in a cup game at Burton. But after the United game I said to [Christian] Purslow and my agent, ‘if I’m not leaving, I’ll sign my new contract’.
“I went in with my dog on Tuesday morning, signed the deal, and played later that day.
“We all agreed on the clause and if any team hit that, it’s a win-win because it means I’ve had an unbelievable season and Villa got £100million.”
Could Grealish really have signed for Man Utd
By all indications, and his own words, yes, it was a possibility. However, it was the summer of lockdown, and finances were low for all clubs around Europe, except perhaps Chelsea, so Man Utd were unlikely to have been able to fork out the cash needed to Grealish out of Aston Villa.
While saying that, the proposed move to Old Trafford would've come before Grealish's best ever season - 2020/2. So, the asking price would highly likely have been far lower.
In any case, Man Utd were unable to agree a deal, and Grealish eventually signed for their city rivals.
What if Man Utd had signed Grealish in 2020?
If, however, Man Utd had been able to secure a deal, how would things have panned out?
They were on the back of a third-place finish, and signing Grealish would've added quality to their side.
With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in charge, the former Aston Villa man would likely have been deployed as a No.10, with Marcus Rashford the chosen option on the left flank. Paul Pogba may have seen his minutes reduced further, with Grealish preferred further forward.
The right-wing slot would still have been an issue, so the hierarchy may still have sought an alternative to Daniel James on that flank.
So, the signing of Jadon Sancho in 2021 may still have occurred, but it's safe to assume that Bruno Fernandes would've been the casualty.
With Rashford and occasionally Anthony Martial playing off the left, almost all of Grealish's minutes would've come centrally, hence ending the need for a creative player for that role.
Fernandes would never have been signed by Man Utd if Grealish was at the club, and that's almost certain.
So, Old Trafford wouldn't have experienced the quality of the former Sporting playmaker.
In addition, there's a chance that Ronaldo wouldn't have returned. His love for the club is clear, but his international teammate Fernandes may have played a small role in his decision to come back, while the club may have been in a worse state without the impact of Fernandes. That could've dissuaded Ronaldo from returning, leaving Edinson Cavani to lead the line.
Furthermore, Man City may well have made a more concerted effort to sign Lionel Messi this summer if Grealish had joined Man Utd. Grealish took the No.10 shirt at the Etihad, but if that number was still available when Messi was on the market, a reunion between Messi and Guardiola may have been on the cards.
