Man City are set to pay Aston Villa the second instalment of their £100million Jack Grealish transfer this summer, Football Insider understands. City paid a Premier League-record £100m for the 26-year-old after triggering the release clause in his Villa contract last summer. A recruitment source has told Football Insider that the Grealish fee is being paid in three equal instalments across three transfer windows.
The final payment of £33m is due to be paid in the summer of 2023. The “mega-money” payment structure was agreed between the two clubs before City agreed to meet the £100m clause in Grealish’s Villa contract. The England international also signed a six-year contract worth more than £200,000-a-week as part of the astonishing deal.
The fee for Grealish exclipsed the £89.3m that Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba in 2016. The Midlands giants had tried to convince their captain and talisman to stay, offering him another new deal on improved terms,. But the opportunity to work with Pep Guardiola and challenge for the game’s top prizes proved impossible to resist.
It has not been a move without a hitch for Grealish, who has struggled to nail down a starting spot for the Premier League leaders as well as have the same influence he had at Villa. Grealish has made 16 Premier League starts among 27 appearances in all competitions for City this season. Mainly operating on the left flank, the playmaker has scored four goals and supplied three assists.
Grealish has not yet proved how much of a good buy he is at City but he still has all the time to put in performances that match the fee City paid to sign him last summer from Villa. Starting from now till at least the end of the season.