Tottenham Hotspur have rekindled their interest in the services of Jack Grealish, it has been claimed.
According to Mirror, the Lilywhites are ready to challenge Premier League rivals West Ham United and Bournemouth in the pursuit of the Aston Villa midfielder in the summer.
Grealish was linked with a move to Tottenham last summer until he signed a five-year contract with Villa. However, the midfielder will be keen to secure a move to the top-flight next season, having performed exceptionally well in the Championship this campaign.
Jack Grealish: A player Tottenham need to sign
The midfield department has emerged as an issue for Tottenham Hotspur this season, especially following the departure of star midfielder Mousa Dembele.
In addition, England international Eric Dier has missed a chunk of the season due to injury along with former Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama. As a result, coach Mauricio Pochettino has often had to rely on the services of Moussa Sissoko and the young Harry Winks.
Although Grealish may not be a like-for-like alternative for Dier per se, the Aston Villa star has operated in a deeper role than he was usually accustomed to, in the past few seasons. That means Pochettino will be able to utilize him in a different role whilst having both Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli in the side.
That being said, Eriksen is already linked with a move away from north London, with Real Madrid still interested in his services. And Grealish might be an excellent replacement for the Dane given their similar characteristics when it comes to approach play.
Much like Eriksen, Grealish likes to operate on the left, where he can cut inside on his right and create openings for his side. He is also adept at taking the occasional shot from outside the box and has been reasonably successful when doing so. He can also play through the middle, where he has been mostly deployed this season but his versatility means he can find his footing almost anywhere in advanced midfield. His impeccable quality when it comes to drifting past defenders could be useful, especially when probing the opposition, with the 23-year-old already averaging nearly two successful dribbles per game this season.
In addition, Grealish has attained an excellent pass completion rate of 87%, which is indicative of the midfielder’s remarkable ball distribution that tunes in well with Tottenham’s efficient system.
Given Pochettino’s reputation for promoting English youth, Grealish could surely become an interesting option for the Argentine next season not only due to his tactical versatility but also the promise he offers at the age of 23, making him an ideal target for the Lilywhites.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
