The financial gap between the elite clubs and everyone else is huge in football just now, so it does make you wonder what a club like Aston Villa can realistically achieve.
They did well to stay in the division last season, but even if they spend a ridiculous amount they could still struggle to do anything more than finish in the top ten.
Winning a cup would be brilliant and it’s probably the best they can hope for, but you also have to wonder if Jack Grealish would be content with himself if he stays there for the rest of his career.
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Being the hometown hero is everyone’s dream, but as a professional he owes it to himself to play at the highest possible level, so a recent report from The Mirror is an interesting one.
They suggest that he’s being eyed as a potential alternative to Jadon Sancho, but Villa have placed an £80m price tag on him which would probably be enough to stave off any interest.
They go on to say that crunch talks are planned between Grealish and the management at Villa, as the club are desperate for him to stay but he is also open to a move to United.
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It sounds like he is open to agreeing a new deal, but he also wants assurances that he will be allowed to go if a big team comes in with a serious offer.
The problem for Villa is they also state that he could earn around £200k a week if he makes the move to Old Trafford, so his agents may request that Villa pay him something similar if he does decide to stay.
Hopefully his future will become clearer after these talks are held, but it sounds like it might be a saga that runs throughout the summer.