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Jack Grealish aims to prove Premier League credentials with Aston Villa

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Jack Grealish believes promotion with Aston Villa will give him the chance to prove he can fulfil his potential

Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish insists he will not have proved anything until he performs in the Premier League.

Grealish first broke into Villa's side at the age of 19 during their 2014-15 top-flight campaign, attracting attention when he opted to turn down a call-up to the Republic of Ireland Under-21 side in favour of playing for England in the future.

Birmingham-born Grealish was then involved in a number of off-field incidents which prompted disciplinary action from Villa. He was pictured inhaling 'laughing gas' in 2015 and was called "unprofessional" by then-manager Remi Garde during the 2015-16 season, which ultimately saw Villa relegated.

Now 22, he has emerged as a key member of Villa's starting XI this season under Steve Bruce and has helped steer the club into promotion contention.

"For me to put myself up there, I need to be doing it in the biggest league, which is probably the Premier League," he told Sky Sports News.

"I'm enjoying what I'm doing but at the moment, there's only really one aim - to get the club back to the Premier League."

When he first came I couldn't believe how humble he was. Every day after training he was there until late hours, making sure he does recovery right.
Jack Grealish on John Terry

Bruce brought in former Chelsea and England captain John Terry last summer, a move which has had a big impact on Grealish.

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"When he first came, I couldn't believe how humble he was," said Grealish. "Every day after training, he was there until late hours, making sure he does recovery right.

"You can see why he's had such a successful career."

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Grealish recalled the impact appearances from Villa's first-team players had on him as a youngster. He spent the day with both young and old Villa fans as part of the EFL's day of action

Emulating Terry's success at international level remains an ultimate goal for Grealish.

He made seven appearances at U21 level, but is not feeling the pressure to earn a senior call-up just yet.

"I'm still only 22, I've been in the Villa squad for a number of years, but I'm still only young," he said.

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"Some players don't make their debuts for their countries until they're 24, 25. I still feel like I've got quite a while."

Grealish spent the day with both young and old Villa fans as part of the EFL's day of action, which sees all 72 Clubs showcase the impact of their community work.

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