If Manchester United are able to get £100 million ($123m) for Paul Pogba in the transfer market, they should use the funds to bring in Jack Grealish from Aston Villa, according to Andy Gray.
Grealish has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer transfer window, after proving himself as one of the most consistent performers in the Premier League.
The 24-year-old played a key role in Villa’s promotion bid last season and has successfully transferred that form to the top-flight, contributing seven goals and six assists in 26 appearances.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was full of praise for the English midfielder after his stunning opener set Villa on their way to a well-deserved 2-2 draw at the Theatre of Dreams on December 1, which fuelled rumours of a potential transfer.
It has been reported that the Red Devils will dip into the market if Pogba moves on to pastures new, amid ongoing rumours of a possible return to Juventus or a switch to Real Madrid for the Frenchman.
Pogba has missed almost the entire 2019-20 campaign through injury, and publicly admitted to being open to a new challenge away from Manchester last summer.
Gray thinks the 27-year-old has “failed” to live up to his £89m ($109m) price tag since rejoining United back in 2016, and has urged the club to complete a £70m ($86m) swoop for Grealish to replace the World Cup winner.
“We don’t know how football is going to come through this [the coronavirus crisis],” the ex-Villa striker told the Daily Star.
“We don’t know if football is ever going to be the same again and whether It’ll affect player values and salaries. We’re entering a world of unknowns.
“But when the dust settles, if I could sell Pogba for £100m and bring in Grealish for £70m I would do it in a heartbeat. It’s a no-brainer.
“United still might be able to get their money back on Pogba. We know his value commercially and on social media with his millions of followers.
“That’s important to football clubs these days and it gives him an added kudos. But fans aren’t really bothered about all that.
“They just want him to contribute on the football pitch. He’s pretty much failed at United. Is it his own fault or just bad luck with injuries?
“I think it’s probably a combination of the two. I don’t know Pogba so I’m not judging his character, I’m judging what he’s brought to United and it’s been nowhere near enough.
“Real Madrid seems the right fit for him – and his agent has been edging towards that.”
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