Jack Grealish wants to leave Aston Villa for the chance to play Champions League football with Tottenham this season.

Villa need £40million to comply with Financial Fair Play guidelines but new investment should mean the pressure is off them being forced to sell all of their first team squad or accept cheaper offers.

However, Grealish, who is considered their brightest asset and is valued at around £35million, still wants to leave and has set his mind on playing for Tottenham, as revealed by Sportsmail last month.

Jack Grealish (left) wants to play Champions League football and leave Aston Villa

Villa say they are yet to receive any bid from Tottenham for the 22-year-old and are hopeful there will be rival interest from the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton but Grealish is understood to have told team-mates he wants the chance to work with Mauricio Pochettino.

The majority of Tottenham's team played in the World Cup and they had five players alone in Gareth Southgate's England squad. Grealish believes if he is given the chance to join them, Pochettino can help him reach his potential and push for an international call-up.

Grealish started and impressed for for Villa in Saturday's 4-0 friendly win at Burton Albion and the visiting support chanted his name throughout.

Afterwards, manager Steve Bruce revealed he will meet with the club's new owners this week to clarify their stance on player sales.

Tottenham are interested in the midfielder but Villa will not let him go on the cheap

Asked what price the club had put on Grealish, Bruce said: 'It’s only what somebody else is prepared to pay, what he’s worth. I know for a fact from the owners, new investors, anybody wanting to buy Jack Grealish will not buy him on the cheap.

'If we have to sell them then at least we get the right price for them and can move forward. So if anybody is going to buy one of our players now they are going to have to pay a premium.

'Until I have the conversation I can’t really answer the question. What is he worth? Who knows?

'Until I meet the new people this week then obviously all of those things will come into the equation. A week or ten days ago they were all for sale because we simply had to balance the books and pay the wages.

'We will have more direction when I meet the new people.

'I’m waiting for clearance (on the meeting). It could be Tuesday. The quicker, the better. It’s a great thing for the club and it’s important the club can move forward.'

Steve Bruce insists that teams will have to pay a premium to secure Grealish's services

Grealish is not the only player whose future is in question.

Villa still owe money on James Chester's transfer from West Brom and expect to receive a £10million offer from Stoke City for the centre back on Monday.

Sunderland also have interest in signing Ross McCormack on loan, although he is not in Bruce's plans.