Former Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish was spotted in conversation with a Villa fan during pre-season.
Preparations for the upcoming 2024/25 campaign are in full swing for Premier League clubs, with many embarking on pre-season tours.
Aston Villa are currently in the United States along with several other clubs from the top flight, as Unai Emery looks to maintain his squad’s successes of last season.
While Villa fans are firmly focused on the upcoming friendly against RB Leipzig, there has been some talk of the Midlands club within Manchester City’s training camp.
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Jack Grealish spotted with Aston Villa fan during Manchester City pre-season training
Currently in Florida preparing to face Barcelona in a pre-season friendly, Manchester City are hoping to push for their fifth-consecutive Premier League title.
City’s pre-season tour has started less than desired, having recorded two losses against Celtic and AC Milan, with Pep Guardiola now hoping for a better result against his former club.
Somehow during City’s training session in the States, talk turned to Aston Villa, a conversation unexpectedly started by Jack Grealish.
Journalist Victor Navarro filmed the former Villa captain in conversation with a young supporter of the Midlands club, whom he approached to sign his shirt.
Grealish prompted the supporter to let him sign his claret and blue top, to which the Englishman said, “Are you a Villa fan? Do you still like me though?”
Many were beside themselves when the Bodymoor Heath graduate left to join City back in 2021, with the midfielder’s conscience prompting him to ask the supporter if he was still liked from a Villa perspective.
The £100m received from the sale of the academy graduate gave the Villans financial freedom in the years following his departure, with animosity between supporters and the player now starting to disperse.
Grealish will hope for a better season at City
Despite winning the Champions League, three Premier League titles and the FA Cup at City, things haven’t been easy for Grealish since leaving Villa.
Game time has not been promised under Guardiola as it once was at Villa Park, seeing his form dip in recent years.
Over the past three Premier League seasons, Grealish has netted a disappointing combined total of 11 goals, scoring only three in 2023/24 for the champions.
There will be hope that the Englishman can rediscover his form next term after losing his spot at international level although, none of the 28-year-old’s form is relevant at Villa.
For the Midlands club, focus will be firmly on their return to the Champions League, with Emery building a project to be celebrated in B6, something Grealish will surely be looking at with admiration.
