Crystal Palace join Tottenham in the race to sign Aston Villa star Jack Grealish

Crystal Palace are plotting a summer swoop for Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, according to the Daily Mail.

It is understood that the Eagles are targeting the 23-year-old as a replacement for star-forward Wilfried Zaha, who is reportedly free to leave if the club’s £80million valuation is met.

The report claims that Palace are joined by London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Grealish – who failed in their efforts to sign the Englishman at the end of last summer’s transfer window.

While the Aston Villa academy product would not be a like-for-like replacement for the pacey and athletic Zaha, his creativity in the ‘number 10’ role would no-doubt give Roy Hodgson’s side goals and assists.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson will want to keep hold of his star-man Zaha.

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Having missed nearly three months of football this term due to injury, Grealish’s return has handed a huge boost to Villa’s promotion hopes, with the forward contributing four goals and two assists during the club’s 10-game winning run.

A lifelong Villa fan, the England Under-21 international joined the club’s academy system aged six and made his debut in an FA Cup third round tie against Blackpool in January 2015.

He has gone on to play 122 league games for the Birmingham club, scoring 15 goals.

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