Jack Grealish has been urged to join Liverpool by ex-teammate Gabriel Agbonlahor.
The former striker also told Aston Villa star Grealish he "can do so much better" than Manchester United.
The 24-year-old creative midfielder has been excellent for the Villans this season so far having scored nine times and assisting a further eight.
His boyhood club are, however, locked in a relegation battle so speculation has been rife about where Grealish could move to if Villa go down.
United have reportedly taken an interest in Grealish while the England international has also been linked with a host of Premier League clubs including Liverpool - though the ECHO understands Jurgen Klopp's side have no interest in signing him and that speculation the silky-skilled Brummie is on the Reds radar is wide of the mark.
“I am not just saying this as I have played with him, but I honestly think he is the best attacking midfield option that England have got at this current time,” Agbonlahor told Bet O’Clock via the Daily Star.
“That is why, when people say Grealish to Manchester United, he could do so much better than that, and he could walk into any team in the world, even Barcelona or Juventus.
“For where Manchester United are now, he could go to better teams around the world.
"So he doesn’t need to limit himself to just United and focus on teams who are playing in the Champions League.
“He is the missing piece that a lot of teams need right now. I watch Liverpool, and they are an outstanding team, but they are missing a player like him.
“There are a lot of teams that he would walk into, so it is down to Villa to have the resolve to reject bids and for them to grow as a club because they aren’t a team that should be fighting with relegation.
“They will stay up this season and will start to climb the table next year.
"The club will have to work out how much they actually value him at and how much it is worth to move him on.
“Unless a crazy high bid comes in for him, I would just turn the phones off and reject every bid that comes in for Jack.”
