Arsenal have enquired about signing Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish this summer, but his £80m asking price has seen talks go cold almost immediately.
Grealish has been in high demand for months, with both Manchester United and Manchester City keen on landing the Englishman, and there were hopes from both sides that Villa would be forced to lower their asking price if they were relegated.
Unfortunately for the two Manchester rivals, Villa managed to avoid the drop and are now prepared to stand firm on their £80m asking price. That figure is expected to scare off most suitors, and according to Sky Sports News, that’s exactly what happened to Arsenal.
The Gunners are said to have gone no further than an initial enquiry after Villa insisted Grealish would only be sold for an astronomical figure. Mikel Arteta’s side aren’t blessed with a huge transfer budget, and spending that kind of money on one player isn’t an option this summer.
![[FILE] Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) runs with the ball as Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel closes in during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in London. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/000_97B779-scaled-e1703231851386-120x86.jpg "Liverpool host Arsenal in battle for Premier League Christmas No. 1 1")
It’s noted that ‘a number of clubs’ would be prepared to pay closer to the £50m mark for Grealish, but Villa see no need to do business for that fee.
They see him as a 24-year-old England international with three years left on his contract, and they believe he is worth the same £80m as United paid for Harry Maguire last summer.
This looks set to be a frustrating summer for Arsenal. Alongside being priced out of a move for Grealish, they have also seen a second bid for Atlético Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey knocked back.
The Gunners have declined to pay Partey’s £45m release clause as a result of their current financial uncertainty, leaving Arteta forced to get a little creative in the transfer market.
Free transfers, loans and swap deals are expected to be Arsenal’s preferred means of doing business this summer, and while that usually limits the kind of quality you can expect to find, Arsenal have still been linked with some high-profile names.
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