Manchester United are keen on adding a central midfielder to their squad ahead of the 2019-20 Premier League season.
After being linked with the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Sean Longstaff, the Red Devils are now interested in signing Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is interested in signing the Scottish midfielder, as per the Sun. McGinn is valued at around £50 million by Villa, and the newly-promoted club will not budge on their transfer value. McGinn’s contract at the English club expires only in 2022.
The 24-year-old was instrumental in helping the Villans secure promotion to the Premier League after winning the Championship play-off final against Derby County, where McGinn scored a goal, and even won the Man of the Match award.
The central midfielder joined Villa from Hibernian ahead of the 2018-19 season for a fee of just around €3.1 million.
Should Manchester United break the bank for John McGinn?
Manchester United need to add at least two midfielders before the start of the new season as they will have to replace Ander Herrera, who left the club after running down his contract.
They will also have to buy a replacement for Paul Pogba if the Frenchman does leave Old Trafford.
The Red Devils’ interest in McGinn comes out of the blue as reports have suggested that they are tracking and keen on adding Bruno Fernandes and Sean Longstaff to their team.
Fernandes has impressed for Sporting over the last few seasons and has become one of the most proficient goal-scoring midfielder in Europe, while Longstaff is considered to be a big-name player in the future.
McGinn has had just one good season in English football, but that was in the Championship, where the quality of football is not as great as the Premier League.
Making a move for him on the basis of one year in English football seems like a risky decision to make.
The fee quoted – £50 million – seems to be way over the top for a young player who still hasn’t played in the Premier League.
Manchester United should refrain from making a bid for McGinn at the price that Aston Villa are currently demanding, but a fee of around £20 million could be a risk worth taking.