Premier League: Jack Grealish could be Manchester United's perfect James Maddison alternative

Man Utd v Aston Villa this weekend might provide Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's staffing team with a good transfer option in January.

If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was simple for saying I hope we can stop Norwich or strategically weak when preparing his team to negate Sheffield United then he would be sensible to do his due diligence on one Aston Villa player ahead of this Sunday's Old Trafford contest.

And not just for the reason of stopping Villa who is sure to make a trouble of themselves against Man Utd this weekend. Football fans from around the world can purchase Premier League Football Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

We have come to expect this season that these competitions will offer no guarantees for United with Crystal Palace have set a model for visiting teams against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side. Grind it out frustrate United hit them where it hurts.

And a troubling factor is very much the kingdom of Jack Grealish the player who is bound to make headlines in one way or another after the Premier League fixture.

The popularity of data analysis in football these days is well known but not so widely reported is how clubs use data in two separate ways to lookout opposition players or to inform their own recruitment. Often the case is that never the twain will meet.

But they ought to for United's squad of analysts this weekend. Ed Woodward made a point of conversation up United's recruitment team in a recent conference call with some unbelievable figures stated in terms of the number of targets they had for every position.

Woodward saying

"Over the last few years, we have expressively invested in our enlistment structure to supplement our already strong and experienced recruitment team all of whom who all are working to a clear philosophy," Woodward said.

Grealish is far from an unidentified but United must be flexible enough to insert him as their No.1 target if the Villa star continues his recent form.

He ticks all the boxes for United as a young home-based player with the sprinkling of emotion that Solskjaer wishes. But his name has so far been lacking from their wish list despite these pages in April touting him as a possible perfect target.

It would be mistaken to dispute Grealish is auditioning for a United move this weekend. The indication suggests it will take a huge amount to pries him away from his cherished Villa. A proposed Tottenham move has dropped through in the past with Grealish even ready to tough it out for two terms in the Championship with the club he supports.

But his playboy status has been largely shaken off and the 24-year-old Villa captain now appears a measured and masterful figure both on and off the pitch. He could inspire Villa to safety on his own this season.

Yet it is exactly all those reasons why a United move makes sense. Grealish's age, for example, means a big move ought to be on the horizon. His ability almost demands that it happens soon.

Harry Redknapp recent discussion

Harry Redknapp recently talked up Grealish's England credentials, saying: “If Grealish played in any other country but here he would be a regular in the national team. “The Spaniards, Italian they would love him. He would be pulling all the strings; they would have almost built a team around him."

But for the moment in the eyes of national team boss Gareth Southgate and for most regular Premier League watchers Grealish is behind James Maddison in the English playmaker pecking order and in the eyes of United's fabled recruitment team too who have prioritized the Leicester City man ahead of other targets.

That is not to criticize Maddison who is a fine player but one whose capture in the notoriously tricky January market looks a tall order. Especially with Leicester making a strong case for a top-four finish:

Again though, United would not be doing their due diligence if they were blind to Grealish's talents. A simple look at his record this season since Villa's promotion tells its own story: four goals and five assists in all competitions and some truly transformative displays.

It would be folly not to consider Grealish and that is speaking before he graces the Old Trafford turf this weekend.

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