🗣 Heskey exclusive: On Grealish's talents, Smith's future and Europe | OneFootball

Jack Grealish would enhance any of the Premier League’s top six clubs, according to former Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey.

Grealish’s fine form for club and country over the last couple of seasons has seen him linked with numerous clubs, with a potential £100m switch to Manchester City mooted earlier this week.

And Heskey – who played over 100 games for Villa between 2009 and 2012 – can understand why there’s so much interest in the England midfielder.

“You can’t look too deep into how much someone’s worth but he could play anywhere,” Heskey exclusively tells OneFootball.

“He’s got the ability to play wherever he wants to play and adapt. People say he holds onto the ball too much but that’s because that is his role within that team.

“He’s the talisman. You win the ball back and you give it to him, because he can make things happen. Then he’s got to run with the ball and create stuff and commit himself to scoring goals as well.

“If he went to any of the top six clubs, he’d enhance all of them.”

Villa have been in inconsistent form this season. In among brilliant victories over the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, Dean Smith’s side have lost their last three home games and currently sit 7th in the table after eight games.

But Heskey has been impressed by what he’s seen from his former club and doesn’t feel they need to set their sights too high this season.

“After last season they were talking about staying in the league. Now, with the start they’ve made, you’re probably talking about mid table,” he says.

“I think they had them in bubbles of four players at a time and I think that’s showing in some of the games. They went and beat Liverpool and then, no disrespect to Brighton, they went and lost that game. It’s just been up and down for most teams but I think for Villa and Dean Smith, mid table would be a massive, massive achievement.

“They’ve brought in some good players who’ve made a difference. Jack [Grealish] has gone from strength to strength again, Ross Barkley has been a wonderful addition who’s brought something different to the team and enhanced them and made them play with a bit more intensity and a bit less fear.”

After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, many were unconvinced Smith was the right man for the job but Heskey believes the manager has actually brought some much-needed sustainability to Villa Park.

“If you look at the way they’re playing I think he’s done a very, very good job, but no one really gets judged on the way they’re playing, they get judged on results,” he says.

“They were on a slippery slope last season and then after the pandemic they did well to pull themselves out of that. Now they’re going from strength to strength, with a few ups and downs, but I think they’ll need to go back into the transfer market to really strengthen in certain key areas.

“I think he’s done a great job in keeping them in the league and that’s gonna be the main focus for Villa. They’re not really gonna be looking at getting into Europe right now, it’s about getting sustainability. Three, four, five, six years in the Premier League and then what’s the next step after that?

“They’ll probably have a five-year plan to consistently stay in the Premier League and look to get more points each year. Then they can look at the next plan after that and see if they can mount a sustainable assault on the top six, which is about funding as well.”

Heskey spoke to OneFootball as a co-founder for Player 4 Player – a new advice service for professional footballers. For more information visit player4player.com