Losing a fan favourite and club icon like Jack Grealish was never going to be easy for Aston Villa. But the club has given fans reasons to believe in it by releasing a video detailing how the transfer came together.
Last night, Aston Villa CEO Christian Purslow explained the reason behind the transfer of Jack Grealish to Premier League rivals Manchester City.
Grealish opted to make the switch to the Etihad Stadium after City tabled a £100m bid for the attacking midfielder who starred at Euro 2020.
Speaking through Villa’s official club channels, Purslow explained that the club would not stand in the way of Grealish if he wished to leave.
And they granted that wish to their prize -asset after he confirmed that he wanted to leave the club in search of instant Champions League football.
In the video, Purslow goes into extensive detail about how the transfer came together. This is a radical step forward in the relationship between clubs and supporters.
“Last summer, following interest from a number of clubs, we offered Jack a new contract to stay at the club that he accepted with one proviso.
“Jack wanted to be certain that if any Champions League club came in for him, and Aston Villa were not in that competition, that we would not stand in his way,” Purslow said in video posted on social media.
Aston Villa CEO Christian Purslow updated supporters this evening on the circumstances surrounding the departure of Jack Grealish.
Here is his broadcast on VillaTV. pic.twitter.com/7wqh5Vs64R— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 5, 2021
For that reason, we included a release clause in his contract. Our board set his release clause at 100m knowing that it would be a record price for a British footballer and also a record fee for a player bought by a Premier League club.
We set a value at a level we hoped would not be met, but would reflect his truly unique value to Aston Villa.
After a brilliant season for Jack, culminating in the Euros, a number of clubs expressed an interest in signing him, initially at figures beneath the release clause.
We simply refused to entertain those approaches.
But those approaches were finally met with a fee matching the release clause of Grealish's contract. And it would come from Manchester City.
Despite some heated reaction from Aston Villa supporters, Purlsow said that the club could stand in his way as per an agreement in his existing contract.
“I’ll always be a fan” fans don’t swap allegiances for trophies. We thought you were living out our dreams for us each week. I will NEVER understand your decision and I will NEVER forgive you. You’re not welcome back “next time”. UTV
— Sharon Chance (@ChanceCoco25) August 5, 2021
"Finally, Manchester City notified us that they would be willing to pay this 100m fee to trigger his release clause," Villa's CEO added.
After many hours of discussion with Jack, his family and agent, we made clear our strong desire for him to stay at Aston Villa.
Jack finally decided that he would like to go to City and instructed us to exercise his release clause as was his prerogative.
It was a highly emotional decision when he notified us he was leaving our club that he joined when he was 6-years-old.
Ultimately, it boiled down to him wanting to play Champions League football now.
Aston Villa’s CEO also said that the club have not been caught unaware with Grealish’s departure as he sought to reassure supporters.
Thanks for the memories, @JackGrealish. pic.twitter.com/yQ1RYPmiU3
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 5, 2021
“For the supporters, I want to reassure you that the board, I, Dean Smith obviously knew this day might come, and we have planned accordingly,” he added.
Villa have already added Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings from Norwich City, Bayer Leverkusen and Southampton respectively to their ranks respectively as they look to fill the void left by Grealish. Purslow added that the club has added 'real depth and breadth' to Villa this summer despite losing Grealish.
It was never our intention to replace Jack with one footballer. Our strategy was to break down Jack’s key attributes.
His creativity, his assists, his goals and to find those qualities in three forward players. In signing Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia and Danny Ings, we believe that we have achieved this key objective.
In doing so, we also think we have reduced an over dependency on one brilliant footballer…. There is real depth and breadth to this squad with players joining last year’s outstanding signings.
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