Reports: Manchester United join the race to sign former Premier League midfielder

Manchester United are in the market to buy a central midfielder, and this is something that is an unhidden fact, to be honest. Michael Carrick’s retirement, coupled with Marouane Fellaini’s impending departure means that Jose would be keen to sign replacements. The latest report from the Mirror states that United are interested in Aston Villa starlet Jack Grealish.

Villa were very close to getting promoted this season, but they lost to Fulham in the playoffs and eventually failed to qualify for top-tier football.

Accordingly, there would undoubtedly be subsequent rumors over some of their star players leaving the club to play in the Premier League. Jack Grealish is the latest name in this list as the young English lad is being touted to make the huge shift to United this summer.

Jack Grealish: One for the future

Grealish has been somewhat of a revelation for Aston Villa this time around, and unfortunately missed the chance of displaying his talent in the Premiership. He can function in the central midfield position but occasionally likes to join up forward in attacking moves too.

He is somewhat of a ball carrier of sorts, as likes to dribble his way past defenders and accordingly forms passing triangles around the opposition’s penalty box. He is good with the ball at his feet and has a composure that is unparalleled amongst his peers.

Grealish starts as a central midfielder, but over the course of the game takes up advanced positions. He lacks positional discipline that is demanded of a midfielder and hence he fails to close down spaces at the centre of the park usually. Moreover, he is not well trained in tackles as such, as he lunges into challenges regularly.

This is an offspring of his seemingly lackluster positional sense, and he will have to improve on this considering that he plays as a midfielder on a usual basis. In 30 appearances in the Championship last season, 22 as a starter, he scored thrice whilst having assisted in six goals.

Should United make a move for him?

The lad is young and plays in a tricky position. United have already signed Fred and the Brazilian will occupy one of the midfield positions. They have Jesse Lingard to play from a central position and Alexis Sanchez, as well as Paul Pogba, are going to take up the major attacking responsibilities.

Grealish’s defensive side of the game is undeveloped as such and with Andreas Pereira returning from his loan spell too, there doesn’t seem to be any sort of dearth of midfielders in United’s roster currently. Moreover, the fullback and right-wing positions might be filled primarily and hence signing Jack is unviable now.

The player is very raw and it would be better from an individual perspective for him to stay away from the limelight and to hone his skills accordingly.