Manchester United are stepping up their interest in Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish in order to try and beat off competition for the 24-year-old, according to the Manchester Evening News.
The Villa captain has impressed in the Premier League this season and was a previous target for Tottenham Hotspur, with the player himself admitting that he thought he was on the move during the summer of 2018.
"At that game [Hull in August] I thought I was going and ten months later I'm here and have led my boyhood club to the PL as captain, scored against Blues twice, the perfect season," he told Sky Sports.
Grealish has been an integral part of Villa's Premier League season during the 2019/20 campaign and played a major role in their run to the Carabao final against Manchester City on Sunday.
That form is likely to gain interest from a number of clubs, including Spurs, but Manchester United have expressed their interest in the playmaker and are hoping to 'execute' deals before the end of the month in order to get business done early.
Leicester City number 10 James Maddison is also said to be on the list for the Old Trafford outfit in the summer, but Aston Villa's possible relegation from the Premier League will make a deal for Grealish easier to complete.
It is reported that the Birmingham side will let the midfielder go should a reasonable offer be made, with reports that the midfielder has a release clause of £45m
Grealish has scored seven and provided six assists in the Premier League so far this season.
