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Plot twist!
Transfer season is a wild time of the year and this summer has been a roller coaster for supporters of Aston Villa. Well — prepare for a joyous piece of information — *ahem* — Jack Grealish is staying at Aston Villa!
Been told from sources close to #avfc Exec Chairman, Nassef Sawiris that Jack Grealish is not for sale, and will not be sold in this transfer window.
— Rob Dorsett (@RobDorsettSky) August 8, 2018
This despite a £25m bid from #thfc that has been rejected outright, as have “further bids from other, similarly large clubs”.
Sky Sports with the breaking news Wednesday morning. The reports of the 25 million bid came out on Tuesday and most said it was rejected. But now the new owners have drawn a line in the sand.
To come back to Earth a little bit — this saga is not over yet. There is still time left in this window and a massive bid could force the club’s hand. Jack could force the club’s hand (and just to be clear no one has reported that he has done anything of the like). So everyone, including myself, will be checking Twitter and news outlets with an unhealthy frequency.
If Jack stays — this changes the outlook of Aston Villa’s season. Many were looking at a range of playoffs to mid-table for a likely finish with the expectation of Jack leaving. With the young midfielder staying — automatic promotion does not just become the goal but also the expectation. He is a top player in the league and with the weapons at Steve Bruce’s disposal there can be no excuse.
The elephant in the room continues to be FFP. Without the cash coming in — the club is going to have to take a deep dive into the books to make sure the math works.
But I’m not here for math today.
Suit up Super Jack — it is time to lead Aston Villa back to promotion.