Hutton makes Grealish-Aston Villa exit confession he ‘hates talking about’
Alan Hutton has admitted Aston Villa will find it “difficult” to keep Jack Grealish if he has a good Euros with England.
The former Villa defender, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested the 25-year-old’s displays could ramp up interest among suitors this summer.
Grealish started both of England’s warm-up games and was named man of the match against Romania.
As revealed by Football Insider earlier this year, Manchester City are lining up a huge bid to prise Grealish from Villa.
Hutton admitted standout displays for England could see Villa forced to cash in.
Hutton told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “I genuinely hate talking about it but it’s part of it. He’s a fantastic player. For me he would start (for England), it’s a no brainer.
“Obviously, opinions differ but he’d be in my starting XI. He just makes things happen. People talk about the amount of times he gets fouled around the box but that’s not just him.
“He offers everything, he can play in midfield, wide left, number 10. He’s a creator and he can score goals. If he goes away, starts and he has a good tournament, it’s going to be difficult to hold on to him.
“We know the likes of Man City are circling about him, talking £100million. That kind of money, it would be hard to try and hold onto him. He’s definitely been the main man for Villa, their talisman. He kept them up the other season.
“I think they would have done even better last season had he not been injured. It’s one of those things, we’ll have to wait and see what happens.
“I hope he does stay because the way the squad’s looking at the moment and the additions that are possibly coming in, they can be a real force next season.”
Grealish netted seven goals and contributed 12 assists in 27 games last season.
He has seven caps for England under his belt so far.
In other news, Aston Villa tipped to mount top-six challenge with one new signing.