DANIEL LEVY will be hoping his determination to drive a hard bargain does not come back to haunt him at Villa Park this afternoon.
Tottenham chairman Levy watches his club’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa knowing he could have signed the hosts’ £80MILLION skipper Jack Grealish for £6M just 18 months ago.
Tottenham could have bought Villa skipper Jack Grealish for just £6mCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Villa, then cash strapped and in the Championship, were willing to sell their star man for that meagre price as they desperately needed the money.
Club chiefs were in a race against time to pay off debt and save Villa from the prospect of going into administration — or even worse. It was July 2018 and Levy and the squad were literally at the airport waiting to head off to Los Angeles for a pre-season tour.
But the Spurs supremo believed he could get Grealish for £5m, or even £4m, so he decided to make Villa sweat and boarded the plane.
Grealish (pictured to the left) is now reported to be valued at £80millionCredit: Getty Images – Getty
It turned out to be a big mistake because by the time he landed in LA 11 hours later, Villa had been bought by billionaires Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.
And that meant they were no longer skint and in desperate need of cash . . . so their asking price for Grealish was up to £40m.
Spurs considered lining up another bid of £20m, but Levy knew it would be rejected so they pulled out of the race to sign the former England Under-21 star.
Grealish was gutted as he had set his heart on a switch to the North London club.
But he managed to put that disappointment behind him as he led his boyhood idols Villa back into the Premier League via the play-offs last season.
Grealish, 24, has kicked on again this term and his outstanding displays have caught the eyes of Europe’s top clubs — including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United.
The Red Devils are believed to be lining up an £80m summer swoop for the playmaker.
Levy — widely regarded as one of the toughest negotiators in football — must be kicking himself.
While Grealish, must have no regrets about it now the way his career has panned out.
But you cannot help but wonder how differently things could have turned out for all parties, had Spurs snapped up Grealish for that bargain fee when they had the chance.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
