The John McGinn transfer latest as Everton see a bid rejected and Newcastle United reiterate their interest in Aston Villa skipper.
John McGinn has been the subject of strong interest from two of Aston Villa’s Premier League rivals in the past few weeks.
Villa’s captain and a significant figure for the club both on and off the pitch, McGinn has attracted several suitors. The 77-time Scotland international played 49 times for the Villans across all competitions last season and started both of the crunch clashes against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals.
That didn’t go unnoticed elsewhere in the English top flight as both Everton and Newcastle United have been linked. Sky Sports revealed on Thursday (August 7) that Everton had lodged an £18 million bid for McGinn as David Moyes sees him as a priority target. The Toffees were unsuccessful in their approach, however.
Aston Villa’s transfer stance on John McGinn
McGinn is not for sale this summer, Birmingham World understands, with Everton’s recent bid coming as a surprise. Villa told the Toffees several weeks ago that McGinn wasn’t available, so a bid to test the waters wasn’t expected.
The offer received was also rather insulting, quite frankly. McGinn may have now entered his thirties but he’s yet to leave his prime years and still has so much to offer. He’s also got another two years left on his contract; it’s not like this summer is Villa’s last chance to cash in. Even if it was, £18 million would still be a low-ball offer for a player so pivotal.
Why McGinn is so important to Villa
Albeit not one of the star players, McGinn is incredibly hard-working and versatile. Unai Emery loves those who will give everything no matter what position they’re deployed in and McGinn is the perfect example. Whether it be in central midfield, on either flank, in the deep-lying double pivot or just in behind the striker, McGinn will work his socks off.
The 30-year-old has excellent technical ability, too. He may not be on the scoresheet regularly for Villa but there aren’t many players who are better at turning away from a defender than McGinn is. His low centre of gravity and his ability to read each situation as it comes make him a nightmare for defenders – and a real treat for everyone associated with Villa.
McGinn is also capable of delivering the extraordinary every now and then. Take the second leg against PSG as an example. Driving through the centre of one of the best midfields in the world, McGinn drifted past two before unleashing a powerful strike from 25 yards. It may have taken a knick of a defender but it was still thunderous, ending up in the top corner.
It’s not the star-studded moments that Villa and the supporters appreciate most, though. It’s the grittiness. It’s the personality. It’s the humble nature of the Glaswegian. If McGinn were to be sold, Villa wouldn’t just be losing a very handy player. They’d be losing their core. A transfer away this summer is simply a non-starter. Sorry Everton and Newcastle.
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