Danny Murphy has told Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to sign Jack Grealish this summer.
Grealish has been linked with a move away from Aston Villa in the upcoming window after his impressive performances in the Premier League this season.
And MEN Sport understands that United have stepped up their pursuit of the midfielder , but are likely to face competition for his signature, especially if Villa are relegated at the end of the season.
The 24-year-old scored a sensational goal for Villa in their 2-2 draw against Solskjaer’s side earlier this season, and Murphy believes United, along with Manchester City and Liverpool, should be eyeing the Villa captain.
“This is a golden period for dynamic English midfield players between the ages of 20 and 25. Jack Grealish, James Maddison, Mason Mount and Dele Alli should all be around the top of the game for the next decade,” the former Liverpool man wrote in his column for the Mail .
“But if I was Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and had a choice of signing only one of them, it'd be Jack for me.
“All the players I've mentioned have great quality. But Grealish has the edge because of his positional range and the fact his particular gifts are extremely rare.
“If you look at the top teams, Manchester City and Liverpool, it's noticeable they like players who can perform exceptionally in more than one position. Think about Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mo Salah.
“He has the mix of physicality and technical skills to operate in a number of areas. His best roles for me would be as a No 10 in front of two holding midfielders or as one of the two more advanced midfielders in a 4-3-3. But managers do also have the option of using him on the left of a front three where he can make and score goals.
“He could also do a job in a deeper-lying midfield role as he's so comfortable receiving the ball under pressure, though you'd be sacrificing his creativity there, which would be a waste.
“Grealish has been heavily linked with Manchester United, particularly if they lose Paul Pogba, but I don't think they will be the only ones interested if he decides to move from his boyhood club this summer to maximise his career. "
