English football champion Manchester City has signed English international Jack Grealish from Aston Villa. Both clubs announced this Thursday evening. The 25-year-old, who has played for Aston Villa since childhood and was also the captain of the Birmingham club, will be offered a six-year contract with Manchester City.
The clubs did not provide any information about transfer fees. According to information from the British media, City will pay Grealish’s release clause of £100 million (about €118 million) to Aston Villa. That would be a record in English football. So far, Frenchman Paul Pogba, who moved from Juventus Turin to Manchester United for £89m in 2016, has been the most expensive player in the Premier League.
Guardiola’s dream player
“I am very happy to join Manchester City. City are the best team in the country with a coach considered the best in the world. A dream come true to be part of this club,” Grealish said in a message posted on the Masters homepage.
12-time nationalist Grealish, considered to be City coach Pep Guardiola’s dream player, is particularly popular with England fans. In the European Football Championship, the offensive player played only four short matches and was in the starting lineup only once. But each time the audience greeted him with warm applause. In the final of the European Championship against Italy, which England lost on penalties, Grealish was substituted in extra time.
