Throughout what has been a roller coaster of a season so far, Premier League fans across the world have been debating between Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish and Leicester City’s James Maddison as to who is the better player.
The debate, which is ongoing, has even been dubbed the new Steven Gerrard vs Frank Lampard argument by some fans as they look towards England’s future. Manchester United fans, in particular, will undoubtedly be tuning in with some interest the next time the debate reaches its peak with the Red Devils linked with moves for both men in the summer. According to the Metro, however, Manchester United favour a move for the cheaper and more suitable option of Jack Grealish in the summer. And when taking a more in-depth look at the two players, it’s hard to question this decision.
Why Jack Grealish Provides Manchester United With A Better Option Than James Maddison In The Summer
The Potential For A Bargain Deal
Before the coronavirus pandemic interrupted the proceedings in the Premier League, Aston Villa were struggling for form and struggling to keep their survival hopes alive, dropping to 19th place in the table, and without a win in their last five. And whilst this may be bad news for Villa fans and the club in general, their dip in form provides Manchester United with a chance to complete a bargain deal in the summer.
If Aston Villa were to be relegated as form suggests, the price of Jack Grealish would plummet significantly, and give Manchester United a real chance of landing their target. The value of the midfielder currently stands at £60 million according to the Express with Aston Villa still in the Premier League.
Failure to avoid the dreaded drop, however, may result in a decrease in value to a price closer to the £40-50 million mark. This is a price that Manchester United will be willing to offer in the summer, especially when considering the price reportedly set by Leicester for Maddison. According to Luke Gardner at the Express, Leicester have stamped an £80 million price tag on James Maddison, making a deal to United an unlikely one in the summer, especially after last summer’s £80 million fee paid for Harry Maguire.
The Statistical Comparison
So, it’s clear that the transfer of Grealish makes far more sense when it comes to finances. But, who has been the better player this season? When completing a statistical comparison between the two, the answer is clear. Jack Grealish has outperformed James Maddison in almost every aspect of an all-round midfielder this season; from goals to interceptions made, Jack Grealish has bettered Maddison.
And it’s an all-round midfielder that Manchester United so desperately need to complete the jigsaw puzzle in their ever-improving midfield. The Red Devils already have a capable defensive midfielder in Fred and a creative midfielder in Bruno Fernandes but lack an allrounder and box-to-box player like Grealish. On the defensive front, the Villa man has more blocks that Mateo Kovacic, who plays a similar box to box role to what Grealish may be asked to do at United, and at the other end, the Birmingham born midfielder has been involved in 13 goals, more than Dele Alli.
As a whole, a deal for Jack Grealish over James Maddison in the summer seems a far more practical and suitable move for the Red Devils when it comes to both talent and finances as they look to become the historic team they once were.
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