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Jack Grealish in Manchester to complete £100million Man City move TODAY, talkSPORT understands, as England star turns down new Aston Villa contract to make British record transfer
Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish is in Manchester TODAY to complete his £100million transfer to Man City, talkSPORT understands.
The England international is set to wrap up a move to the Premier League champions, which will smash the British transfer record and make him the most expensive English footballer in history.
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Reports have claimed there is a chance Grealish could remain at Villa Park this summer, with a contract offer on the table from his boyhood club that would secure his future and significantly boost his wages.
The star has only just returned to training with Villa this week, and has faced pleas from supporters to stay at the Midlands club.
But it is understood Grealish has made up his mind and chosen to join Pep Guardiola at Man City.
The 25-year-old is set to put pen to paper on a long-term contract at the Etihad Stadium, in the region of five years, on Wednesday after arriving in Manchester.
And an official announcement from the clubs is expected in the next 48 hours.
According to talkSPORT sources, the £100m fee is a release clause in Grealish's current contract, which would explain why Villa were so keen to offer him fresh terms this summer.
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Birmingham boy Grealish has enjoyed quite a journey at Villa, having joined the club at the age of six.
In what is almost 20 years at his hometown club, Grealish first tasted Premier League football as a teenager - remarkably, making his top flight debut against Manchester City in 2014 as 19 years old.
He was relegated from the Premier League with the club in the 2015/16 season, and in the next three years in the Championship became a hero at Aston Villa, eventually playing a key role in their return to the top flight by winning the 2018/19 play-off final.
Grealish has gone from strength to strength since his return to the top flight, putting past off-the-field incidents behind him to become one of England's top attacking players.
And his performances for Villa and England have seen him earn a transfer to Guardiola's champions.
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Grealish scored seven goals and provided 12 assists in 27 games in all competitions last season for the Midlands side.
Overall, the midfielder has managed 32 goals and 43 assists in 213 appearances in a Villa shirt since making his first-team debut.
He also helped England reach the Euro 2020 final, before a penalty shootout defeat to Italy, after he recorded a vital assist in the Three Lions’ 2-0 last-16 victory over Germany.
talkSPORT's Alex Crook joined Natalie Sawyer and Trevor Sinclair on air on Wednesday morning to share the latest on the story.
And it appears, after landing a deal for Grealish, City will set their sights on breaking the British transfer record for a second time this summer with a deal for Tottenham striker Harry Kane.
Andros Townsend believes Manchester City would be 'untouchable' if they signed Jack Grealish and Harry Kane
"Huge, huge breaking news, this is going to be a Premier League record transfer, Jack Grealish from Aston Villa to Manchester City," said Crook.
"talkSPORT understands Jack Grealish is in Manchester today ready to sign on the dotted line for Manchester City.
"The fee will be £100m, Grealish to sign a long-term contract at the Etihad in the region of five years.
"He’s on his way to Manchester today and we expect an official announcement from both Man City and Aston Villa, if not today then certainly by the close of play tomorrow.
“I think there have to be some outgoings [at Man City]. Bernardo Silva has been hankering for a move away. He’s somebody Man City will now deem surplus to requirements.
“There was talks that Raheem Sterling could be used in a makeweight for the Harry Kane transfer, but my understanding is that Sterling is not particularly keen to make that move. He’s settled in Manchester and does a lot of charity work in the area. He is more than likely to stay.
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“Aymeric Laporte is one who was not happy with his lack of playing time last season and could be one moving on.
“They will have to sell a couple of player as they’ve had issues with financial fair play [FFP] in the past.
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“It was never a Grealish or Kane scenario. Man City very much want to sign both. They are already smashing the British transfer record for Jack Grealish.
“Clearly they are going to have to smash that again to get Kane over the line as well.”
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