Grealish: I want to return to Aston Villa one day
Jack Grealish says he wants to return to play at Aston Villa in the future.
Grealish, who left his boyhood club in the summer when he became the record transfer between British clubs in a £100million move to Manchester City, also revealed he will not celebrate should he score against Villa on Wednesday night.
The 26-year-old, who joined Villa as a six-year-old, said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that he will always love the club and will applaud 'all four sides' of Villa Park on his return.
“I knew some people would be unhappy when I left, and I can see why some were like that, but I gave my all for the club every single year I was there. If I score, I’m not going to be celebrating,” he said.
“You can’t imagine how hard it was for me to leave,” Grealish added. “I went for a run in the morning, a load of people took photographs of me and it was all on social [media] that I was staying.
“I came back and had to address all the players and staff. There were about 70 people there. I spoke for about a minute-and-a-half, then I had to stop because I had a lump in my throat and was crying.
"I was a bit surprised by some of the backlash when I left. I’d never want a toxic relationship with anyone there. I owe everything to them and I wouldn’t be at City without Villa.”
And he added: "It’s a club that is so close to my heart and I definitely hope to go back there.
“That’s always been in my mind. Ashley Young has done it and I want to do the same, 100 per cent.”
But he admitted the lure of the Champions League was too much to resist, adding: “You look at most of my England team-mates – I was probably one of the last to play [in the] Champions League. You could probably count two or three who haven’t, such as Kalvin Phillips or Sam Johnstone.
“I’ve played four times in it now and loved every moment. It’s completely different to the Premier League, a completely different standard and way of playing.
“It’s the one we all want to win. The manager has come here and won everything else, we’re all desperate to win it and I’ve come here to try and help them.”
