Aston Villa are now readying an end-of-season offer for an England international, who Thomas Tuchel has called "excellent".
Villa set sights on new midfielder amid McGinn update
During the summer transfer window, there were suggestions that John McGinn could move elsewhere, with the midfielder being linked with a move to Everton, but the captain ultimately ended up staying put, and there has now been a new update on his future.
Former scout Mick Brown has revealed that Villa are looking to tie McGinn down to a new contract, saying: "They’re going to look to get him tied down to a new deal to secure his future at the club, because of that stability and leadership he brings to the squad.
“It’s something they’ll sit down and talk about in the next few weeks because at the moment, there are a few concerns there that they’re going to have to address.”
However, after making a slow start to the Premier League season, with the Villans failing to score in their first four games, it has now been revealed that they are looking to bolster their options in the engine room.
That is according to a report from Milan Web, which states Aston Villa are now ready to make an end-of-season offer for AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, whose contract with the Italian club is set to expire in 2027.
Loftus-Cheek's future at the San Siro is up in the air, with AC Milan willing to listen to offers in the region of €20m (£17m), and a number of rival Premier League clubs are in the race for his signature.
ruben-loftus-cheek-ac-milan
Newcastle United and West Ham United have also expressed an interest in the central midfielder, who recently received his first England call-up since March 2019.
"Excellent" Loftus-Cheek lauded by Tuchel
Tuchel knows the 29-year-old well from his time as Chelsea manager, lauding the maestro as "excellent" courtesy of his performance in the 2022 FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
Since then, the former Chelsea man has gone on to receive more praise from the England manager, after the 52-year-old called him up to the Three Lions squad during the recent international break.
The 10-time England international has made a solid start to the Serie A campaign, scoring one goal in his opening three games, while also impressing with his dribbling, aerial and passing over the past year, when compared to other midfielders.
Statistic Average per 90
Progressive carries 2.88 (96th percentile)
Pass completion % 88.6% (84th percentile)
Aerials won 1.74 (87th percentile)
As such, if Loftus-Cheek continues his current performance levels, he could be a solid signing for Aston Villa next summer.