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LONDON. — Manchester City have opened talks with Aston Villa over the potential signing of Jack Grealish.

Sky Sports News has been told City made their initial approach several days ago, and lines of communication remain open.

Villa don’t want to sell Grealish, and have offered him a new and improved contract to try to persuade him that his future lies at Villa Park — despite having four years left on his existing deal which was only signed in September.

The club are adamant they want to build their team around him with Dean Smith’s summer recruitment plans — having already signed Emi Buendia and Ashley Young — based on players who will play with Grealish, not in place of him.

Much depends now on whether City are prepared to meet Villa’s valuation of the England international — expected to be around £100m — and whether Grealish himself tells Villa that he wants to move to the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola is a keen admirer of the 25-year-old and have also been linked with Grealish’s England team-mate Harry Kane and have already had one £100m bid rejected by Tottenham.

However, it is likely the Premier League champions will have to sell players to accrue funds to sign both players. — Sky Sports