Former Aston Villa Player Chimes In On Grealish Choice

Jack Grealish had options to move elsewhere but ended up staying with Aston Villa FC. He signed a fresh deal, and some are hoping he made the right call, including former Lions defender Micah Richards.

In his column for Daily Mail, Richards admitted that he is delighted with the decision Grealish made. But though the former defender is happy he opted to stay at Villa Park, Richards said he hopes the 25-year-old does not live to regret that decision.

"Personally, I’m delighted for him," the 32-year-old pundit wrote. "He’s a lovely lad who you cannot help but like. I’m impressed, too, with the way Villa have invested this summer and I’m confident they will stay up again. It’s a huge help that all questions about his future have been put aside. He is going to thrive."

For someone who also played with Aston from 2015 to 2019, the right-back knows that shunning big offers from top clubs could be costly. Some clubs that were keen on getting Grealish were Manchester United and Manchester City, Goal reported.

"Part of me wonders, though, whether this deal means he has missed his chance to play for a top Premier League club," Richards wrote.

For Richards, when murmurs came out that City was interested in Grealish, the Sky Blues should have signed him. He noted that it was a club Grealish could have blended in well with as he continues to play at the very top.

Aside from the two clubs, Tottenham was also in the race for the English winger. Unfortunately, the offer the club pitched to The Villa did not meet its set asking fee. Richards believes that if the Spurs added a little bit more, they would have succeeded.

Regardless of the missed opportunities, Grealish seems convinced that Aston Villa has something planned ahead. He appears excited and all for the outlook in the statement he released via the club’s official website.

"I am delighted to make this commitment to Villa. It is my club, my home and I am very happy here," Grealish said. "The owners have made it very clear to me how ambitious they are and how they want to build Aston Villa. There are exciting times ahead and I am very glad to be part of it."

The good news is that Grealish is only 25 and has time to play for other clubs. Assuming he plays out the whole five years, the only worry there is he would be 30 by then.

There would be teams wary of handing out longterm deals by then, but the English star can easily rebuff that with a great run moving forward.