With the Swans reportedly agreeing a fee of £1.75million for the young Exeter midfielder, who is he? TSW investigates...
Continuing with the Swans long-standing policy of investing in youth, it appears the latest beneficiary of this policy is Matty Grimes, a young central midfielder plying his trade at Exeter. What did I know about him previously? Not a huge amount if I'm honest, but he has been attracting attention for some time with Arsenal, Liverpool, Southampton, Sunderland & Nottingham Forest all linked with a move in the recent past.
The first thing that strikes me after a quick internet search is that last summer, after playing a key part in Exeter avoiding relegation, Grimes seemed to have a very mature attitude towards his future for someone so young:
“It is pleasing that my performances are getting noticed, but it is all just rumours. I have just got to focus on next season at Exeter because I have not heard anything. Nothing has been said to me directly.
“I want to play as high as I can and I’m not going to turn down opportunities to play for England or play for a higher club if it is right, but at the moment I just need to focus on doing what is right in my head and that is staying at Exeter City.
“I need to keep my head down and keep doing what I have done in the last year.” Matty Grimes
In that situation as a young prospect it would have been very easy to roll out the "It'd be an honour to play for <insert club here> for so many reasons... yada yada yada" so it was a pleasingly mature thing to come out with, given he only turned nineteen in July. Exeter manager Paul Tisdale - a man held in high regard by the Swans - has spoken on numerous occasions about Grimes, and how he has the right attitude as well as the ability on the field.
Tisdale on Grimes at the end of last season, and how he compares to Premier League youngsters:
“It is inspiring for the young players that are in the academy to see someone step in so young and do so well. It opens people’s eyes and it makes the players, their parents, and the staff in the academy realise the quality of work that we are doing, because when you hear the name Exeter City it doesn’t perhaps sound as sexy as Manchester City.
“However, that doesn’t mean that Matt Grimes isn’t as good or better than players of his age at the top Premier League clubs. I know the FA have sent their scouts to watch him 10 to 15 times last season and I don’t think he is a million miles away from and England call-up for under-19s or under-20s.
“I watched England under-19s the other week and there was a central midfielder from Southampton there, Harrison Reed. He played against us in the Under-21 Premier League Cup at St James’s Park last season. Harrison is an excellent young player and I think he has made his debut at Southampton, and I’m only judging him on one game, but that night Matt Grimes was head and shoulders the better player.
“Grimesy was excellent at the start of last season and he adapted to first-team football very quickly. However, somebody that can look like a better prospect than Matt Grimes at 13, 14 or 15 years of age might not adapt to first team football quite as quickly as he did. So we do need to temper everybody’s expectations but, on the flipside, we definitely have players who are ahead, for their age, of where Matt Grimes was at that point in time.
“I am very excited about the future though and about the quality we have. We will continue to strive to improve it further and produce more players who can step in and do what Grimesy has done.”
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Matt-Grimes-breakthrough-season-inspiration/story-21152831-detail/story.html#ixzz3Lazv24Lu
Tisdale on how far he can go:
"He definitely has the ability to go up the leagues and play at a very good level. I wouldn't like to say at this stage what that will be but, arguably, he's the best young player we've produced at Exeter since I've been here."
"Players progress at different speeds and you have to look at what they have in their game naturally and then also at their application and their determination to improve themselves. For someone who's 18 and playing regularly in League Two, he's technically very good and has a very good understanding of the game.
"Instinctively, he makes good decisions most of the time and, coupled with that, he's determined to do well. He's not phased by the pressure and stress of playing and, most importantly, he takes on information very well.
"Ultimately, there will be a bit of luck involved like coming across the right manager and being injury-free, but there's no doubt about his potential."
That last sentence is the most interesting to me. Of all the kids who get signed by Premier League clubs, how many end up in the first team? Monk has already shown with the inclusion of Jay Fulton, Mo Barrow & Josh Sheehan in first-team outings that he's willing to blood young talent, and if reports are to believed (and we are to sign Grimes) that's most definitely something which will have worked in our favour.
What about on the field though? He's made fifty-nine appearances for Exeter, fifty-five of which have been in the league, and he's managed to score four goals, as well as collecting six assists. A goal contribution every six-point-something games is very promising for a young central midfielder in League Two, that's for sure. Sadly, a lack of stats for League Two means I can't have a look at anything else numbers-y.
Another feather in his cap is that he won Exeter's Player of the Year last season, and at the tender age of eighteen that was no mean feat. He's also been rewarded for his impressive performances with selection for the England U20 squad, and after getting his first call up in August he's now featured three times for the national youth side.
I'm all for signing youth, and in giving Exeter the best part of two million I'd say the club clearly view Grimes as a player who can make an impact. This is furthered by the fact that Exeter wanted Grimes to remain on loan until the end of the season, but the Swans rejected that notion as they want him training with the first team, with a view to making a mark before the end of the season.
If he does indeed force his way into the first team before next summer, we'll have got ourselves an absolute bargain.