‘Grealish bit-part player at Man Utd & wouldn’t sell shirts’ - £80m asking price too high, says Warnock

Jack Grealish would be a “bit-part player” at Manchester United, according to Stephen Warnock, with the Aston Villa playmaker considered to hold little sporting and commercial value to the Red Devils at £80 million ($101m).

That is the price tag the 24-year-old midfielder is said to have around his neck heading towards the next transfer window.

United are among those said to be mulling over a big-money raid on Villa, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having had Grealish in his sights for some time.

The Red Devils have, however, seen Bruno Fernandes thrive in their engine room, with World Cup winner Paul Pogba now fit and firing alongside him.

Solskjaer can also call upon the likes of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood in wide attacking berths, with there seemingly little room for Grealish at the Theatre of Dreams.

Warnock concedes as much, with the former Villa defender considering it unlikely that United will splash the cash on a player who would add little more than depth to their ranks.

He told Stadium Astro: "It's the going rate for players, but for £80m I want someone who's going to start week-in and week-out.

"When you think about his global appeal for Manchester United, is he going to sell you shirts week-in and week-out to repay a lot of that money that he's going to cost? I'm not so sure he will.

"But who else will buy him for £80m with the pandemic that we're coming out of and can clubs afford to shell out £80m?

"I don't think they can. That figure would have to come down considerably and I think it will as well."

Warnock, who spent four years at Villa between 2009 and 2013, added: "If he was to join a club like Manchester United then being around better players, playing higher up the pitch and not having to do three or four jobs on the football pitch that he feels he has to do drag the team back up to where they need to be, I think he'll be a far superior player in a much better team.

"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows that and he understands the qualities that Jack Grealish possesses, it adds to the quality of United's squad.

"Would he play every week? That's what Jack has to work out in his head.

"If he was to go to United, is he happy being a bit-part player?"

Grealish is currently trying to help steer Villa towards Premier League survival, but they remain inside the bottom three as things stand – four points from safety with three games left to take in.