After missing out on promotion to the Premier League, Aston Villa have found themselves in serious financial trouble.
Owner Tony Xia would’ve been relying on the enormous amount of television money that comes with playing in English football’s top division, but last month’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham in the Championship Play-Off Final means the Chinese billionaire will likely have to sell off key assets before the club finds itself in an even bigger economic and Financial Fair Play crisis.
Star player and youth product Jack Grealish is likely to be the most high-profile causality with Tottenham having bid £15m for the 22-year-old, according to Sky Sports. The attacking midfielder impressed in the Villans’ Championship campaign and appears to have caught the attention of Mauricio Pochettino.
Given Pochettino’s reputation of developing young players – Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Eric Dier, for example – and Aston Villa’s current financial situation, Grealish moving to Tottenham is certainly possible.
If Grealish does depart Villa Park as expected, then manager Steve Bruce should look at Chelsea’s Charly Musonda – valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt – to replace the England U21 international. Capable of playing in all the forward positions, Musonda would be a like-for-like replacement for Grealish. However, the Belgian would represent a significant upgrade on the possible outgoing man.
Musonda is practically the complete attacking midfielder; he’s quick, skilful, has a great pass and is an amazing dribbler of the ball. Looking at Villa’s current squad – including Grealish – Musonda would be the most technically gifted player and have the potential to be the team’s main man if acquired.
Loan deals may be something Aston Villa heavily look towards this summer and, if that does become the case, then it’s highly unlikely that the Championship outfit or any other club will find a better player on the loan market than Musonda.
