A blown VAR call may have a lot to answer for. A hawkeye error in Aston Villaโs game with Bournemouth in May proved to be the difference in helping the Midlands side stay up.
One of the many repercussions of this was that United were priced out of a move for transfer target Jack Grealish.
Sky Sports reported how Villa wanted ยฃ80 million for Grealish. Had they been relegated, they most probably would have looked to sell for far less, and Grealish would have been able to agitate for a move.
While technically United may have been able to afford this fee, it was widely seen as over the top for a player who scored one goal and provided no assists in his final 12 games of the Premier League season.
Grealish has begun this season in far better form, perhaps free of the distracting talk over his future.
Already this season he has five goals and five assists in eight games in all competitions.
One of these assists came in a 3-0 away win over Arsenal on Sunday in an impressive all round display.
With United lacking a spark in matches against top teams this season, including at home to Arsenal last week, Grealishโs displays are a reminder of what might have been.
Returning to try and sign him is not simple. Grealish signed a long term contract in September, which further strengthens Villaโs hand in trying to keep him.
They do not appear to be in any danger of relegation this season either.
One option for United is to chase Grealish as a replacement for Paul Pogba.
But the sad reality is that Grealish would probably cost more than Pogba at this point, with the Frenchmanโs contract having entered itโs final two seasons.
Nonetheless, Grealishโs good form has United fans lamenting the missed opportunity of this summer and wondering what might have been. Several have not given up on getting the Villa man to sign, eventuallyโฆ
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